Blogging is a lovely journey and one that teaches you lessons along the way. Some good, some less so. One of the lessons I’ve learnt is that of photography. I have always been interested in photography albeit in a small way. The rise in digital cameras and the dropping of the price tags made it more affordable for me to take it on as a small hobby. And taking pictures for the blog teaches me a lot about still life photography too.
But do you have to watermark your photos that you upload on your blog? I think there are 2 schools of thought when it comes to this. You will have seen my photos, and you will realize that I watermark mine. The method of watermarking and my watermark has changed and evolved over the years, but I stick to placing a watermark and that is my choice.
I’d like to know what readers think too. As reader, I know that sometimes, watermarks can be quite distracting so your input will be very helpful for me and other bloggers out there wondering the same thing 😀
A watermark is a way of marking the photo to show ownership and proprietorship. It is also a way to deter others from stealing your photo and passing it off for their own. Heaven knows, it happens so often online. For some people, just because something is available online, whether it be text or photos, means that it is public property. How wrong they are!
In terms of beauty blogs, I will say that whilst I don’t take the best photographs out there, I take pride in knowing that they are mine. I put work into making them look the way they look and I want to claim ownership, good or bad. I started out by placing a watermark of my blog URL or blog logo in a corner. I thought it was sufficient.
However, unscrupulous people soon took the photo, cropped out the watermark (the cheek!) and passed off the photo for their own. I recognise my photos, and especially when it is my property e.g. my bag, my hand etc. That made me mad. So, I went to the other drastic extreme. I slapped the header logo right in the middle of my photos. It was ugly, and it was distracting but it made my point. Its MINE 😛
In recent times, I decided to take a slightly more subtle approach. I still watermark my photos with my blog URL, but I place the text in the midst of my photo, in an area that is hard to crop out but not as distracting. That is my choice and whilst some people might say that people can still steal the photos if they want to, for me, I’ve done all I can to deter that and if they choose to use my photo on their website, they can jolly well live with advertising my blog for me 😛
The other school of thought which is employed by many blogs I see, especially the larger ones, is not to watermark the photos at all. I will agree that watermarking distracts from a beautiful shot and it can jar wildly with how a product, or shot looks. I salute them, because I’ve seen their photos used in any number of places online. I guess they have achieved that zen state of being that allows them to share their art with the world, while I’m still bogged down by feelings of selfishness and possessiveness. Some day, I might achieve that sort of Nirvana but till then, watermarking is my way to go 🙂
Do you watermark your photos on your blog? Is there a reason why you do or do not? As a reader, does it bug you to see a watermarked photo? I must say that as a reader, I’m not bugged by it because I understand where the blogger is coming from. However, I will also confess that when I see a non-watermarked photo on a blog, I am less distracted and can view the photo in a more wholesome manner, the way the photographer intended to draw my eye. Pros and cons I guess – you?
Paris B
Simple Blogging Tips are some simple tips I have for fellow bloggers, based on my own experiences. I’m no ‘guru’ but I hope they will help you. You may read up on previousSimple Blogging Tips here.
giddy tigress says
I watermark my photos for the same reasons you do, except of course no one (I know) has stolen my images (yet). Mine are only at the corner though. But I must say you do have creative ways of watermarking yours. Someday…someday, when I am in the same league as you, I will look to you for guidance 🙂
Paris B says
I think its to do with comfort level and being anal hehe… I had my photos stolen by people who used it to sell their products, and that was way back in the day. So I don’t think its a matter of being a big blog or a small one, but to do with what the thief is looking for and if they find what they want in your photo.
Swati says
I do watermark the images and reduce their size as the original images are too heavy during page load times so both works get done at the same time but even I feel that watermarking is a huge chore and sometimes I put off the post just coz of that reason.
Paris B says
I agree – we edit our photos anyway, so watermarking doesn’t take any more time than it should 🙂 I have put off posts for the hassle in editing photos but never for watermarking which happen naturally as a result of the editing anyway 😀
Sze Ling says
I used to watermark all my photos too (in my previous blog). It bugged me to hell when someone take my photo and claim it as theirs
Now, I don’t do that anymore. Not because I’m more “generous”. But I think a watermark is just too distracting. And if anybody really wants to steal my photos and claim is as their own, I don’t think there’s anything I can do to prevent that. I believe in karma: what goes around comes around. So, it doesn’t really bother me that much anymore. 🙂
Paris B says
Actually, there is something you can do – you can report the thief 🙂 Will take a while but big hosts like blogger, wordpress and tumblr take copyright infringement seriously 🙂
Applegal says
I don’t think it’s selfish to watermark something that you produce. It’s your hard work and effort, and it is wrong for others to steal your images and claim them as their own! And talk as if they took the photos themselves!
I think it’s very bad especially if it’s portrait shots. I wouldn’t want my face plastered over someone else’s blog without my consent. Not a good thing at all.
So yes, I am pro-water marking!
Paris B says
It actually bugs me to see ebay sellers use swatches and photos from bloggers I know to sell their products. linking to the post is one thing, but actually lifting the photo and saying “Here is a swatch of the product” and not giving credit is so wrong.
Chea Yee says
I use the default watermark feature on Picasa. Granted, if its just a travel photo, i don’t really bother. But if its a product that I bought or paid for on my beauty blog, then yes.
I don’t see anything wrong in water marking your photos. Its yours!!
Paris B says
Yup my thoughts exactly 🙂 I don’t expect everyone to agree of course. Watermarking or not is quite a personal thing as I’ve noticed from my online exploits 🙂
plue says
i watermarked my photos, and I know I don’t do it well. But oh well 😛 LOL.
you spend time taking those pictures, so why not protect them? if people wanna use them, they could just ask and say please? 😛
Paris B says
Erm… there’s no right or wrong way to watermark so how do you know you aren’t doing it well? 😉
Sunny says
Hmm I’ve never really given this any serious thought to be honest! I assume people wouldn’t steal my photos as they’re really not the best, and my blog is small so what are the chances of finding my photos right?
I might have to rethink this later. At the same time I’m trying to create some kind of signature style so that it’d be much harder for people to randomly pass my photos as their own. But you never know!
Your watermark really doesn’t bother me, Paris. I think it looks more like a nice signature than anything else!
Paris B says
Nothing will stop a thief from stealing your photos but a signature style will definitely make it more recognizable so people know its stolen from you 🙂
Wojis says
Don’t read you wonderful blog for the watermark, but for you insight and review and thoughts about the product you write about… so watermarks don’t bother or distract me at all.
i do understand you watermark because you took the pic’s and may I sat that your pictures are of quality and a stander hight enough to steal. It would bother me too if somebody would try to sell my arm or hand off as their own.
Paris B says
Thank you Wojis and I had to laugh at your last sentence 😀 It bugged me enough that someone tried to pass off my bag and its contents on a commercial site, I’d be really mad if it was my arm 😛
Wojis says
ROFL, now I see it too… 🙂
S. says
I don’t watermark my pics, I don’t think anybody would actually steal them, they’re really not that good 🙂
I can see why you and other bloggers do that, especially if they’re beautiful like yours!
I think I would be upset if someone *stole* what I write, maybe because I put more effort in writing and feel it more like a personal thing.
xx
Paris B says
Aww thank you S and yes, if someone did steal what you write, make sure you hunt them down! There are ways to make them take it down. I’ve done it myself so I know its possible 🙂
Stacey says
you are totally right about people grabbing photos off the internet with the perception that it is free.
I watermark my images as well even though it is a pain and means that additional time is spent doing it because I made the effort to lug my dslr around and attempted to take a good photo.
besides, if people really did steal my photo (secretly I am pleased, cos that meant that my photo was well taken haha), I would be appreciative for the publicity cos my blog is so small. 😛
Paris B says
Yep, i feel the same way you do. I made the effort to take the photo so there isn’t anything wrong with me staking a claim on it 😉
Hane Hassan says
on this topic, do u mind sharing which photo edit software you use to watermark and make all the nice note on your photos? i love your stamps and little notes on your photos 🙂
Paris B says
Sure Hane, I use Photoscape most of the time, but I also use Paint.net 😀
Carrie says
Personally I am not annoyed when photos are watermarked as long as they are done in a neat and graceful way. The blog owner has every right to protect their blogging possesions, as long as the contents are genuine and that they do not copy other people’s pictures and text.
For my current blog (although only just started) I would use as many copyright-cleared images (such as from Wikipedia) as I could to avoid the hassle of watermarking, but I would definitely watermark my photos when I have to. Sometimes I would also use other people’s photos but only when I have obtained permission and also put credits towards them.
I have seen a lot of photography oriented blogs and a lot of them are able to come up with amazing photos even though they are all watermarked. So I guess once you find a balance in presenting them while also claiming the ownership, it could be a win-win situation for both parties 😉
Just a bit of thought from me 😛
Paris B says
Thanks for sharing, Carrie 🙂
acesweb says
40 websites that are clones of pinterest, are watermarking thousands of photos as their own. when theyre not. ugh. and theyre tyring to sell them all for 25,000 on flippa’s domain auction site.
http://pincosmetics.info