Securing the Original Image

websteve

I like what Smugmug does and I think it would be a handy and quick tool for me to post my photos, but as a professional photographer, I am concerned about photo security. So here is the question: If I understand correctly (please correct me if I am wrong), I can load my originals to the gallery (currently 8mp each) and then set security settings so that the public cannot access my original image. They will only see a lower resolution copy. I can also set it so they cannot right-mouse click - (this can be overridden however by the more computer literate among us by accessing the source code and finding the image), but my initial testing has shown that they will be accessing a lower resolution shot (about 800x600) and not the real image. Some additional questions: Can I set the resolution of the copy? I also set the photos to be watermarked when loading, but didn't see anything. Is the watermark invisible? Thanks for your help - Steve

Andy

websteve wrote:

I like what Smugmug does and I think it would be a handy and quick tool for me to post my photos, but as a professional photographer, I am concerned about photo security. So here is the question: If I understand correctly (please correct me if I am wrong), I can load my originals to the gallery (currently 8mp each) and then set security settings so that the public cannot access my original image.

your originals will be blocked, nobody can get them, if you set the gallery for Originals = No. When ordering prints, we'll print from the original.

They will only see a lower resolution copy.

Yep http://www.smugmug.com/help/display-quality here are the different sizes. And you can even make custom sizes, for linking in forums, blogs, etc: http://www.smugmug.com/help/custom-photo-sizes

I can also set it so they cannot right-mouse click - (this can be overridden however by the more computer literate among us by accessing the source code and finding the image), but my initial testing has shown that they will be accessing a lower resolution shot (about 800x600) and not the real image.

Yes, this is a pro feature: http://www.smugmug.com/pro

Some additional questions: Can I set the resolution of the copy?

only for when you are linking a custom size. On your SmugMug site, you can select Larges to be available or not. It's a gallery setting.

I also set the photos to be watermarked when loading, but didn't see anything. Is the watermark invisible? Thanks for your help - Steve

Watermarking is explained here: http://www.smugmug.com/help/custom-watermark-protection

thanks for looking at SmugMug, if you have any more questions, let us know we'll be here for you

websteve

Continuing On...
Andy, we’ll this is really working out. I have already started loading my files on a new gallery to sell my pictures and have set the pricing. I also set up watermarking. Thanks for the help. Some follow-up questions from here: - I clicked the link in “Share Photos’ to get the link to send to others, but when the users click this link, they are asked for a password. What is happening is that it is asking for the pw from my previous protected (family travel) gallery and not from the professional gallery I was presently in. When they enter the pw for the travel site, it takes them to my professional gallery, which is where I want them to be, but I did not pw protect this gallery, so I’m not sure why it is doing this? - I started adding keywords, but they are not showing up in the search. For example, I added the keyword ‘duomo’ (Italian for cathedral) in ‘Edit Caption/Keywords’ for this image, ( http://websteve.smugmug.com/photos/88389631-L-2.jpg ) or crane birds for this image: http://websteve.smugmug.com/photos/88420411-L.jpg but upon the search, they don't show up? I must be doing something wrong? Also, I would like to now go further. I know there is a way to set the site up so that would reflect my own personal site. Could you please guide me to those instructions? I know I am asking a lot of questions, but I really like your website and intend on using it for many reasons (personal and professional). On the professional side, I really need to understand how to use your features well and I apologize for all these questions. Once I have it down, (e.g. I already have a very good understanding of how to protect and watermark my shots), the rest will be second nature and I can then concentrate on building my galleries. Thanks again for your help. One other question: Regarding the keywords, are they set just within Smugmug or are searched within the entire Internet? Is there any way I can increase my search rankings? - Steve

Andy

Andy, we’ll this is really working out. I have already started loading my files on a new gallery to sell my pictures and have set the pricing. I also set up watermarking. Thanks for the help. Some follow-up questions from here: - I clicked the link in “Share Photos’ to get the link to send to others, but when the users click this link, they are asked for a password. What is happening is that it is asking for the pw from my previous protected (family travel) gallery and not from the professional gallery I was presently in. When they enter the pw for the travel site, it takes them to my professional gallery, which is where I want them to be, but I did not pw protect this gallery, so I’m not sure why it is doing this?

You have a SITE password set, so anyone going to any link on your site will require that password.

- I started adding keywords, but they are not showing up in the search. For example, I added the keyword ‘duomo’ (Italian for cathedral) in ‘Edit Caption/Keywords’ for this image, ( http://websteve.smugmug.com/photos/88389631-L-2.jpg ) or crane birds for this image: http://websteve.smugmug.com/photos/88420411-L.jpg but upon the search, they don't show up? I must be doing something wrong?

Keywords won't work nor be searchable until you remove that site password.
http://www.smugmug.com/help/keywords-tags

Also, I would like to now go further. I know there is a way to set the site up so that would reflect my own personal site. Could you please guide me to those instructions? I know I am asking a lot of questions, but I really like your website and intend on using it for many reasons (personal and professional). On the professional side, I really need to understand how to use your features well and I apologize for all these questions. Once I have it down, (e.g. I already have a very good understanding of how to protect and watermark my shots), the rest will be second nature and I can then concentrate on building my galleries. Thanks again for your help.

Great! Start here: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=31647 and when you're ready, start a new thread with your site questions.

One other question: Regarding the keywords, are they set just within Smugmug or are searched within the entire Internet? Is there any way I can increase my search rankings?

Keywords will be searchable and indexed by google, once you make your site and galleries public.

Hope this helps!

pat.kane

websteve wrote:

... I started adding keywords ...

Thanks for another opportunity to jump on my soapbox and recommend that people should really be doing their keywording prior to uploading to smugmug. In doing so, the keywords stay with your image regardless of where you host them. See my post at this thread for a discussion of the IPTC standard.

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=35616

Welcome to smugmug!

websteve

Keyword Search
Hi. I removed the protection from my all my galleries, but still seem to be having a problem locating my images during the search. I tried 'bryce canyon', which is one of the keywords (used "Edit Caption/Keywords' in the 'Photo Tools' drop-down box), but no results for this. Tried for numerous other listings in my gallery of which I have keywords for, but got the same results - no display of my shots. Must be some little thing I'm missing? Thanks - Steve

Andy

websteve wrote:

Hi. I removed the protection from my all my galleries, but still seem to be having a problem locating my images during the search. I tried 'bryce canyon', which is one of the keywords (used "Edit Caption/Keywords' in the 'Photo Tools' drop-down box), but no results for this. Tried for numerous other listings in my gallery of which I have keywords for, but got the same results - no display of my shots. Must be some little thing I'm missing? Thanks - Steve

Steve, you have NOT removed the SITE password. Until you do so, keywords will be invisible.