Watermarks and their creation

[dullbird]

So do you have a watermark and if so what is it (pictures)

did you create it yourself or did you have someone create it for you?

What was the reason behind why you have the watermark that you do?

I do have one but I don't like it and I'm thinking of changing it I want it to look a bit more professional.

So I'm interested to hear everyone else's experiences.

[Blknight.aus]

My old one was just the letters BKN in the bottom right of the picture along with a date time stamp.

I created it as is was a requirement of the group I was with at the time (it was about this time that I learnt I properly suck at taking photos but at the time I was ahead in post production work so spent most of the time helping other people setup their post production)

When It applied a paintshop macro made the image 3 layers a black background, the finished image and then a single pixel black outline stencil cut of the main image in the BKN letters. The stencil cut then transposed 3 pixles right and 2 down to cause a shadow effect of the letters.

The date time stamp was then added below the BKN letters in an 8 point black font.

I'll see if I can find an image with it that had it on, but Im pretty sure they're all long gone.

If youd like I can try to mock one up for you.

[dullbird]

Thanks Dave an image of what you had to look at will be good if you got one to see.

I would prefer to produce my own I have the means to do so. It more about inspiration to get me going.

I just want one that is a bit more professional looking than the one I have which is this in the bottom right hand corner.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/179.jpg (http://s200.photobucket.com/user/dullbird/media/Wes/DSC_0724_zps8548195f.jpg.html)

[dmdigital]

There's nothing wrong with yours. You've probably seen mine. I auto add to any web exports.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/164.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FE42mz)
GOVIR-20160424-1 (https://flic.kr/p/FE42mz) by Derek Moore (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmdigital/), on Flickr

[Bytemrk]

What is the reason you want a watermark Lou?

For most it is either to protect images from theft or to promote their "Brand".

I must admit I have moved away from using a watermark... probably cause what I used looked crap :D :angel:

However, I think the most professional watermarks are pretty subtle and not in the same place on every photo.

If you watermark close to the edges, its not hard for someone to simply crop it out. (If they can't be bothered to use Photoshop to remove it.) :angel:

If you watermark too blatantly in a key are of the image, in my view you wreck the image. :mad:

If you really have to watermark, I really like smaller subtle watermarks tucked away somewhere in the middle of the image...

Something like this:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/163.jpg

Does it's job without taking away in any way from the image.

I tend to agree with this article in general:

https://fstoppers.com/originals/does-it-matter-why-you-shouldnt-need-watermark-your-images-121998

[dullbird]

I know that a watermark shouldnt matter because you own the rights to all your images,

I also know that ultimately people can crop them out if you have them close to the edge, and or clone them out but then if someone is going to that much trouble to steal your image you would want to have other measures in place too because your work is obviously desirable.

The watermark for me is more about the sharing of images over social media.

Things are so widely shared on there with often no recognition to the original photographer that I think the only way to get any form of recognition is to have your name or your stamp on it somewhere. Because by the time its been shared around (I'm not talking specifically here about my images) where people might screen shot or download and re-upload the person who originally posted can be lost in the sharing chain.

Which i think is sad. People that share in the here and now of this instant world, I don't believe would care whether there is a watermark or not and I don't think would bother going through the effort of removal of one either.

[s7000]

I use my logo as my watermark... It's for business purposes really... And just so if anyone does decide to steal an image it's that tiny bit more time consuming...

As with the above comments, I keep it off to the corner and out of the way. There's nothing worse than an obnoxious waterwark covering an image... I've had people use my images on blogs etc, which I don't mind... As long as they credit my work. :)

I'd be more suspicious of where you post the images as opposed to who's stealing them... Websites like facebook take ownership of any image posted... I'm sure Instagram and any of the bigger social networks would be the same.

[werdan]

I use my logo as my watermark... It's for business purposes really... And just so if anyone does decide to steal an image it's that tiny bit more time consuming...

I really dislike your watermark. The number of times that I've clicked it while half asleep because I've thought it was a shortcut to more images.. I'm not a smart man. :)

[dullbird]

I dont believe facebook do take ownership last time I read their terms you still own rights to your own work. Although that was some time ago that I actually made an effort to read them.

Be silly if you didnt because anyone could take your image and upload it to Facebook then you would automatically lose your right.

[s7000]

I really dislike your watermark. The number of times that I've clicked it while half asleep because I've thought it was a shortcut to more images.. I'm not a smart man. :)

Haha... In all honesty, I struggled with my logo for a long time... It's a bit of a mash up... A friend designed the Polaroid which I stacked and then added the text and camera a bit later.


I dont believe facebook do take ownership last time I read their terms you still own rights to your own work. Although that was some time ago that I actually made an effort to read them.

Be silly if you didnt because anyone could take your image and upload it to Facebook then you would automatically lose your right.

There was a huge stink about it a couple of years back... Either way, I don't trust them or any of the sites they own... I know no one will get rich off my images, but that's not really the point... You shouldn't have to give up anything if you upload them. -_-