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Copyright protection suggestion?

MRudlandMRudland Registered Users Posts: 284 Major grins
edited August 11, 2008 in SmugMug Support
Is there a way to save a gif or such over the actual thumb nail or image so that if someone does try to steal an image they get a blank print out or screen print or image? I am finding that people are just simply stealing my images and not purchasing them even a cheap 4X6. They don't care about the copyright mark on them or anything. I'm very frustrated with it.
I'm loosing $$ because of it and my prices are low enough where there should be NO reason for anyone not to be able to afford my stuff.
Michelle

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    dogwooddogwood Registered Users Posts: 2,572 Major grins
    edited August 11, 2008
    In short- no. If you can see it on the computer screen, you can save it. The gif situation you're talking about won't fool anyone-- you can always save a screen shot and paste it into photoshop.

    Try watermarking and make the watermarks obnoxious (tiled across your entire image) if it's an event/shoot and you're concerned about people swiping your photos.
    Portland, Oregon Photographer Pete Springer
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    jfriendjfriend Registered Users Posts: 8,097 Major grins
    edited August 11, 2008
    MRudland wrote:
    Is there a way to save a gif or such over the actual thumb nail or image so that if someone does try to steal an image they get a blank print out or screen print or image? I am finding that people are just simply stealing my images and not purchasing them even a cheap 4X6. They don't care about the copyright mark on them or anything. I'm very frustrated with it.
    I'm loosing $$ because of it and my prices are low enough where there should be NO reason for anyone not to be able to afford my stuff.
    Michelle

    Smugmug's right-click protection puts a transparent gif over your images. That prevents right-click copying or drag/drop copying from the browser, but there is no way to prevent screen grabs.

    Right-click protection will block casual copiers who aren't that techy. If you want to block anyone else, then you need to use a semi-transparent watermark that spans across the middle of your image in a way that people can still see the image, but a print wouldn't be satisfying. An appropriately done watermark is the only foolproof way to discourage copying of web-sized images.
    --John
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    AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited August 11, 2008
    jfriend wrote:
    If you want to block anyone else, then you need to use a semi-transparent watermark that spans across the middle of your image in a way that people can still see the image, but a print wouldn't be satisfying.
    nod.gif

    138586521-XL.jpg
    Andy

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