Are you so afraid that no one knows your work and you need to put some text or symbol over the photos to remind everyone? Or are you so happy to share your images with everyone all over the World as you believe they won't use it in the wrong way.
In an uglier point of view, this is your claim to fame, right?
Sadly, in today's age of the Internet and more importantly, Social Media, you NEED to watermark your images. When you upload a very nice photo, everyone and anyone who likes it, will download it for reference, as wallpaper, etc. All of us has been there and done it. Daily.
Now in the era of Blogs, Social Media and Clickbaits, your images, will be used time and again, and no one knows whom it belongs to nor do they even care. Imagine how you feel when your friend sends you a nice image which is 'hot' amongst the Group you're in, not knowing it was yours. And imagine the amount of effort needed to convince your friend and the Group that it was yours.
Ha. So now you're starting to put small itty bitty logos, web addresses and names at the corners of your images and if you're good, on a background of varying shades. Why? Its so that because if someone wants to remove your logo and place theirs over it, it's noticeable.
That's image theft and its rampant like the air we breathe.
But let's take it a step further. From a Business point of view. Sure the watermarks are obnoxious, insulting and even destroys the image. But it is a necessity to prove that the image was yours. And so, little cute logos at the corners are useless for those stubborn plagiarists. You have to put that semi-transparent watermark in the middle of your image. Heaven forbid! No!
OK, let's imagine that you drove a hundred miles and camped three nights on a mountain before you got the image. Then you spent hours selecting and editing that perfect image. Two days later after you uploaded it, you heard someone paid thousands for that image from a site you hardly even heard of, and a week later, it was all over the Net.
Yeah.
So, the Watermarked image not only protects you but also, tells the interested parties where to legally get the original image from. You think established newspapers and other advertising companies are always honest? Think of it as free advertising. Anyone who downloaded your image, can only view it and know who's its from. They can't replace their logos as its everywhere and will destroy the image.
Think of it as signing your Art and also saying "it's mine!". OK, think of it as a Branding exercise too. For your Business. Really. No use crying over spilled milk later.
And how big or beautiful or hidden your watermark, I leave it to your imagination. Afterall, its your Art and Effort.
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| I'm not famous yet, and also depending on my mood, here is a watermarked image of the last project I was working on before going overseas to Kuching for work. Yeah, this is from my FB Page, PIscean Works. |
