Watermark or not to Watermark

[Former_Member]

Hello, I am completely new at this. When I initially started I did not have watermarks. Then I was advised to add them and did so. Now I am seeing others say to not add them for the Etsy displays. Can someone with experience please let me know what is best? Currently I have them added. And will need to figure out how to protect my shots if I need to remove them. Appreciate it.

[Former_Member]

Hmmm I'm new here too and just getting ready to list my first few items. I had planned on using watermarks. Curious what response you get on this.

[Former_Member]

I was told that if you Watermark that Etsy cannot use your photos in some of the promo spots. I also was informed my a seasoned person that there are some larger overseas companies taking unmarked photos and mass distributing them as their own and very cheap. Then I saw a couple of my photos pop up on Facebook in the sidebar advertising for Etsy this week! So, not quite sold on the do not watermark advice. I am leaving mine on. Hope that helps you some as well.

[Former_Member]

I'd be hesitant not to watermark. A friend of mine just showed me her new background photo on her phone yesterday. It was a beautiful shot of some trees during their fall colors; I asked her where she got it, and she said she took a screenshot from some Facebook page and cropped it down. :-/ Really? I understand people liking someone else's work and wanting to use it, but it only takes one person in the wrong place to exploit an image I took and make money on it. I think I need to update my watermark to be more prevalent, actually. Here's to protecting our work!

[Former_Member]

hello there! I am also new to Etsy, as well as selling my photography in general. I never used to watermark until I uploaded a photo to facebook and discovered others were saving the image and crediting it as their own. From that point on, I started using a watermark. It's a shame we can't feel safe showing others our work without worrying if someone else may take the credit. Best of luck to you!

[Former_Member]

Good luck to you, as well, Shanna!

[Former_Member]

I myself prefer to watermark, otherwise anyone could just copy or save the image as a jpeg and print it themselves. So in my opinion, I advise that you definitely watermark!

Cam

[Former_Member]

I'm not watermarking my images. I sell prints not digital files and the size of the images I've uploaded here would never print to the sizes I'm offering, so I figure I'm not going to lose business even if someone does take that example image. I can see how it might be different if you were selling the digital files.

On a personal front I don't like watermarks on my images, so I avoid them whenever I can if I don't think I'm going to lose out too much!

[Former_Member]

I recently learned a lesson from Facebook as well (since my initial post). Pretty bad when it is a friend that snags something an sells it as their own, Aye? So, now I Watermark even for sharing with friends. I do a combo of Digital and prints right now. Though, with what I have been hearing from other inputs, I may move to just prints as Jonathon does. I was told that some over-sea companies have been caught purchasing Digital prints from here cheaply and then mass selling at much reduced prices as their own. That from a person who looked at mine and sent me a FYI note as a heads up. So, careful.

[Former_Member]

Hello I'm new as well, and I have been having the same dilemma. The responses have helped, but I'm tempted to leave the watermark on for some of my digitals, the watermarks that are not too big and invasive. xo

[AdamClarkPhotography]

Watermarking is essentially a hold-over from when artists used to sign their paintings. Watermarking, like signing your name, was supposed to be a method of making your images more secure and less susceptible to copying. In truth there are so many techniques using image editing software that are available to a would-be image thief. I started to watermark mine but quickly gave it up.

You have to ask yourself: At a small physical size (less than 800px), 72dpi (far from print quality resolution) and using a JPG format (not forgetting that the JPG compression standard is 'lossy', meaning that it throws out a lot of useful image information to save file size)...it turns out that an image isn't very useful at all. Nobody else is going to make any money out of it.

If you were displaying a MASSIVE image then maybe you'd think about watermarking but it's not really necessary for a smaller preview-style image.

You also have to think about what potential applications the image could be used for. Could someone enter your images in a competition? Doubtful at the resolution and size typical of Etsy images. Besides, most competitions ask for a print-resolution version too, which an image thief wouldn't have.

There are more advanced techniques out there to protect your images. I would direct you to a watermarking technique based on a sudoku puzzle. You can learn more about the technique at http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/photo-news/540031/sudoku-saves-photographers-from-rights-theft

Good luck out there.
Adam.

[Former_Member]

You should always watermark every piece that you publicize

[Former_Member]

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165611342/watch?ref=shop_home_active

[Former_Member]

Perfect watermark Michal, didn't even see it until I clicked on image, and barely even then. I like that...less distracting from photo. I think small non-invasive watermarks are the way to go and I try to use them, not always easy depending on busyness of image. I've seen huge ugly watermarks going across center of image that made it difficult to even see photo. Of course those shops don't have sales...but even less annoying watermarks can distract from the art. Use them but keep them less visible is my advice.

[Former_Member]

A watermark doesn't have to be a big, ugly thing. They can be done tastefully. I'm trying to decide between text and a logo. Any opinions?

[Former_Member]

I use a smaller much more unnoticeable watermark in my images. But I do state that the printed product does not have it on the image. I do it as a stamp so people cannot use my work without permission but also as a bit of a promo tag in case people pin my stuff to Pintrest. Which is easier to copy paste from then most other sites nowadays.

[Former_Member]

I just opened my shop a day or so ago, and one of my clearly watermarked images has already been included in a treasury. It probably helps that I use a handwritten style font for my watermark, very similar to signing a painting or drawing. Prominent but not hideous.

[Former_Member]

I dont bother with it any more for the most part. Occasionally Ill add a mark near the border. If you post images on the web some people will grab a copy here and there. The resolution isnt generally high enough to be used a stock or larger prints.
Some potential buyers maybe annoyed buy a watermark, especially if it makes the image harder to view. If someone wants to use an image of mine as a desktop background or something I really dont care. I dont appreciated my images being distributed or used for commercial purposes without permission and have sent a few takedown messages in the past. Truth is, watermarks can be removed in most cases if someone has a remedial knowledge of photoshop. If you are really worried about unauthorized use ya better not post stuff on the web.