Watermark & Printmark Options

Trasmc · September 23, 2014

Hi All!

Thanks in advance for your help! I've been taking some senior photographs lately, and am struggling with how to protect them yet still provide some free advertising via posts to social media using watermarks vs. printmarks.

Ideally I would want a logo on any image viewed on my site AND on low-resolution purchased downloads, but not on prints or high-resolution downloads. Watermarks and printmarks come to mind, but here is what I think I would be dealing with:

Watermarks:
-Would be on screen images (for screen grabbers despite right-click protection) - Good
-Would not be on high-res purchased files - Good
-Would not be on low-res purchased files - Bad (would sell these for client social posting purposes)
-Would not be on purchased prints - Good

Printmarks:
-Would not be on screen images - Bad (again, want some branding for screen-grabbers)
-Would be on high-res purchased files - Bad (would sell at higher price for client printing)
-Would be on low-res purchased files - Good
-Would be on purchased prints - Bad (would prefer to sell them without branding)

So - any thoughts? Is there an easy way to do this that I'm not aware of? As is currently, I'm thinking I would have to watermark all photos AND printmark all files, removing the printmark during a proof hold and deactivating high-res file purchases unless the client notifies me which specific files they want to buy, in which case I can make it available without a printmark.

Thanks again,

Scott

Seth S · September 23, 2014

To protect your images I would apply the watermark to your galleries and enable "right-click" protection as well. The digital downloads, no matter the resolution, are sold as-is with no Proof Delay period before the customer can save the image even if Proof Delay is enabled. So you wouldn't be able to remove the applied printmark from high-res file purchases after an order is placed. If you applied the printmark you might update the Gallery Description explaining the printmark will appear on downloads, but could be removed from high-res downloads if the client emails you directly before placing an order. Printmarks can be removed from prints while in Proof Delay. Or you could email them a high-res copy without the printmark after you receive the email notification that an order has been placed and see it contains high-res downloads. Alternatively, you could simply not apply a printmark as it looks like you only want it to appear on low-res purchased files. If you do have any other questions please feel free to reach out to us directly at the help desk here: http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/emails/new

Seth, SmugMug Support Hero

denisegoldberg · September 23, 2014

Seth S wrote: »

To protect your images I would apply the watermark to your galleries and enable "right-click" protection as well.

The OP should be aware that right-click protection does not prevent saving images from any web browser. It is a good method to pop up a message to the viewer though.

--- Denise

Watermark & Printmark Options

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