Protecting Photo Posts from Theft

[ponder]

What keeps someone from copying and stealing photos that are posted in private galleries, critique albums and contests? There are so many great photographers on the Byte Photo site, I just wondered if they worry someone will steal their images and then sell them and not give the photographer who took them credit or $$ if they're sold? To date, do you know if this has ever happened? I know that some of the photos have copyrights on them, but many others do not.

There is so much plagiarism and stealing on the web these days, I just wondered what the other photographers think who post to this site?

Thank you,

Ponder

[Scubamom]

I've thought about that myself. I do plan to add my signature to my photos, but also wonder what is to stop someone from just cropping that out?

[ponder]

I know there is a process called digimarc where if someone tries to steal your photograph, the photo itself has this digimarc embedded into it, but I know this cost something like $50/year for the subscription.
http://www.digimarc.com/watermark/mypicturemarc/how.asp

I've also seen another method where if you try to copy a photograph from one of the stock houses for your own use, it slaps a large banner across the image thereby ruining the image. Corbis.com does this and it is very effective.

I'm sure there is someone on this site that knows more than I do about this too. I don't use Photoshop because its far to expensive for my budget, but I do use Adobe Photoshop Elements which does everything that I need to do. I think Photoshop allows you to add copyrights with it as well as digimarc's too.

Ponder

[RTaylor]

Ponder,
I understand your concern. I always put my signature and copyright on every photo I upload.
I also make sure I dont upload a high resolution image that people can print 8x10's
I use many of my images as desktop backgrounds both at home and at work, and I can see that there is some pixelation on the screen because of the larger screen size.
So that being said, I would think if anyone tried to print any of the images I upload, they would not get a clear 8x10.

I used to upload higher resolution images until one of the women at work was bold enough to ask me for my website link so she could email it to her father, because he takes pictures of the images on the screen so that he can print larger photos. I tried this with my own pics and they dont come out well at all.

When I heard that, I was totallly shocked. I went back to my desk and started making some of my albums private so that she could not see them. I also didnt email her the link, but others on my floor know my website, because I allow them to make pics their desktops should they want to.

There are options on some websites that do not allow you to save images from screens.

The website my husband created for me does just that.
http://www.reflectionsbyruth.com

If people are going to steal, then only precautions you put in place will deter some, not all.

BTW, any photo you take yourself, wether you place your signature or copyright on it.. you own the copyright no matter what

Hope this helps some

[ponder]

Ruth,

Thanks for answering my question on this issue. I will have to see how hard it is to place a copyright using Photoshop Elements into some of my better photos.

I always wondered what the proper way was to obtain a copyright on photos, but since you say that they are automatically copyrighted to the original photographer, me, that's good to know too.

Thanks again,

Ponder

[RTaylor]

Hi Ponder,

to get the copyright for any font you use.
I assume you have a PC and not a MAC?

Go into your Start Menu
Programs
Accesories
System Tools
Charcter Map

From there you can see all the characters you have to choose

you can copy it from there and paste it on your photo.
But you can also type this

click your Alt Key, not letting go type
0169
it should get you this ’…’‚‚©

[northbeach]

For Mac owners ’…’‚‚© is option + g held down together.

One more note on ownership of copyright. Did yo also know that unless you release you copyright you own it even if you sell a photograph? That goes for all works of art, signed or not. You always retain the copyright to your work unless you specifically release it.

[ponder]

Ruth and Northbeach,

Thank you very much for the copyright information. I put the tips in my photo tips document for future reference.

I also tried Paul Larson's copyright trick in Photo Stamping under Photo Editing, but I haven't quite got the hang of that yet using Photoshop Elements. Your copyright tip is much easier for me to quickly add some protection to my photos.

Again thanks very much!

Ponder