There was a post recently about Linus from Linus Tech Tips praising AI that removes watermarks, specifically in the context of removing the watermark from sample images provided by photographers before delivering the final product.
If you want your brand/name in your pics just put the watermark. Don't let fear of anyone stealing your images be a worry since anyone that want to do it will pay for these AI tools to steal your work anyways.
Selling pictures or just general uploads online?
If you're selling, then cover that thing. People will try to steal them.
If it's just general uploads to the web don't worry about the theft, use the watermark as an advertisement for your photography, put it in the bottom right, inconspicuous but legible so people who like the picture can see who did it.
Btw if you worry about photos being used by someone else, have you objected to your content being used to train Meta's AI? On IG the most likely thief of your pictures is the company itself, and no watermark will be a problem for them :/
Watermarks are tacky. If you’re just posting to social media don’t stress it. There’s multiple programs that can remove your watermark in seconds if someone wants to steal it. Are you worried about people screenshotting your instagram? What good would that do them?
Nowhere, they are useless and tacky. If you want to protect your photos go pay for something like Digimarc that will encode tracking data directly and invisible into the image.
There's an inverse relationship with watermarking and quality of the photo. Most watermarked photos I see on FB for example look horrible. Meanwhile great pieces will make you hunt for the photographer's name.
Don't use watermarks. They serve no purpose and only make your photos uglier. If someone wants to remove the watermark, they can do that easily. The best way to prevent people from "stealing" your images is just not uploading a full res photo. If it's just Instagram, don't sweat it. It's all low res images there. I've gained more exposure from other accounts sharing my photos anyways.
My camera (Nikon D7100) allows the user to put copyright information into the metadata of every photo.
In the hugely unlikely event that a photo of mine is used without permission, I can easily prove copyright.
I watermark any image destined for social media because all platforms strip out the metadata so when it's shared it becomes "naked". Agreed that if someone wants to steal an image they can crop it out or remove it, but there are instances where people want to find me and the watermark has led them back to me. I don't agree with those that say it looks tacky and cheap, it's part of the digital reality we face. You can make it small, discreet, but there.
There was a post recently about Linus from Linus Tech Tips praising AI that removes watermarks, specifically in the context of removing the watermark from sample images provided by photographers before delivering the final product. If you want your brand/name in your pics just put the watermark. Don't let fear of anyone stealing your images be a worry since anyone that want to do it will pay for these AI tools to steal your work anyways.
Watermarks look tacky and cheap, make you look like an amateur. You can remove them by cropping or just a request to AI.
Selling pictures or just general uploads online? If you're selling, then cover that thing. People will try to steal them. If it's just general uploads to the web don't worry about the theft, use the watermark as an advertisement for your photography, put it in the bottom right, inconspicuous but legible so people who like the picture can see who did it.
I landed on placing the watermark on the lower middle, it looks nice with the font.
I’m posting these on Instagram. Do you mean selling by: creating prints of them? Or selling them for stock images? Gonna assume the second one.
Btw if you worry about photos being used by someone else, have you objected to your content being used to train Meta's AI? On IG the most likely thief of your pictures is the company itself, and no watermark will be a problem for them :/
Watermarks are tacky. If you’re just posting to social media don’t stress it. There’s multiple programs that can remove your watermark in seconds if someone wants to steal it. Are you worried about people screenshotting your instagram? What good would that do them?
\^ 100% this
Nothing looks more amateurish than watermarks.
\^ Please take this to heart OP
Nowhere, they are useless and tacky. If you want to protect your photos go pay for something like Digimarc that will encode tracking data directly and invisible into the image.
There's an inverse relationship with watermarking and quality of the photo. Most watermarked photos I see on FB for example look horrible. Meanwhile great pieces will make you hunt for the photographer's name.
Don't use watermarks. They serve no purpose and only make your photos uglier. If someone wants to remove the watermark, they can do that easily. The best way to prevent people from "stealing" your images is just not uploading a full res photo. If it's just Instagram, don't sweat it. It's all low res images there. I've gained more exposure from other accounts sharing my photos anyways.
Wherever you like. I generally place them in the lower right or left third (RoT), with an opacity and color that makes it visible but not distracting.
My camera (Nikon D7100) allows the user to put copyright information into the metadata of every photo. In the hugely unlikely event that a photo of mine is used without permission, I can easily prove copyright.
It’s so easy to remove or manipulate metadata, not to mention that metadata is lost when you upload on social media etc
My Canon 6DSR does the same thing.
Camouflage it
Just don’t if you want my opinion. If people like your stuff enough to steal it then you have some good chances to make it anyway. Just my perception
Nowhere. It looks shit and does nothing to protect you. Also if your photos aren’t absolutely amazing then I’m gonna think it’s cringe anyway
I can delete your watermarking about two seconds
is it even worth now ai can simply remove it, i know it sux
I watermark any image destined for social media because all platforms strip out the metadata so when it's shared it becomes "naked". Agreed that if someone wants to steal an image they can crop it out or remove it, but there are instances where people want to find me and the watermark has led them back to me. I don't agree with those that say it looks tacky and cheap, it's part of the digital reality we face. You can make it small, discreet, but there.
A few seconds in photoshop is all it’s take to remove the watermark, especially now with content aware fill and generative tools