Learning how to watermark your photos is an important part of protecting your online photos. The volume of photo theft on the Internet and the growing attitude from many that everything is free for the taking is doing nothing but increasing the speed of the thefts. Added to that, new photo repair tools such as content aware fill, are making it even easier to remove watermarks. Because of this, it is important to use a watermark that is complex in design. Now, this doesn't mean difficult to create - just difficult for software algorithms to erase.
What is a Watermark?
A watermark was originally a faint design in paper that showed who made the paper. When held up to the light, the design looked as though it had been made by water thinning the paper. Various methods have been used throughout the years in paper making to create these watermarks. In photography we use watermark to describe a translucent image or text placed on top of a photograph. The idea being to show who owns the photograph without severely detracting from the photo's visual impact. Watermarks are most often applied digitally although some companies print watermarks on proof portraits to prevent scanning and printing without purchase.
Do I Have to Watermark My Photos for Copyright Protection?
You do not have to include a watermark or any other copyright notice on (or near) your photographs in order to maintain copyright protection. Nor do you have to register a copyright with the government for a work to be protected. However, you do have to register a copyright in order to be able to sue for certain categories of damages beyond actual loss. Photographs, like other works, are protected by basic copyright the moment they are created. No law requires a copyright notice for the protection to be in effect. However, there is a bit of legislation called the "orphan works bill" that continually pops up in congress that would make it much easier for corporations to claim they didn't know who the photographer was for a specific piece. Because of this, and because having a watermark/copyright notice makes it blatantly clear that a work is not free, it is advisable to use a watermark even though you are not legally obligated to do so.
What Should I Use as a Watermark?
There are as many different watermarks as there are photographers. Logos, plain text names, email addresses, websites, even just a large © symbol are all used frequently in watermarks. With content aware features in photo editing software like
Photoshop Elements becoming more and more powerful it is important to select a reasonably complex watermark to reduce the chance of removal.
Where Should I Place the Watermark?
Where to put a watermark is a matter of debate among photographers. Some insist that watermarks are ugly and preventing a few thefts is not worth "ruining" a photo. Others put the watermark in the most unobtrusive place possible. Still others put the watermark dead center of the image, regardless of how it distorts the impact of the photo. Personally I prefer to put a watermark in a corner of the photo where the composition will make it difficult to simply crop off the watermark. I also try to place the watermark over a complex area of background so that content aware tools will have a more difficult time matching the pattern.
How to Watermark Your Photos
- To add a watermark to your photo begin by creating a new layer
- Copy your watermark design onto the new layer or create your watermark text directly on the new layer. Note that Alt 0169 on a PC and Alt G on a Mac will create the © symbol.
- Apply any special colors, bevels, or effects you want to the text/design.
- Adjust transparency so that the watermark is at the translucence you prefer.
Example Watermarks
You can see several example watermarks with detailed instructions on the effects added to each in our
watermark image gallery.
