How to watermark images

[vAfotoriporter]

I consider this a rather philosophical question than a technical one. I often have the problem of showing images online helps others to steal and use them without my permission or without paying me for it. On the other hand putting a large (even if somewhat transparent) watermark on the image causes the image become unenjoyable which is part of the goal but not the goal itself.

How do you watermark an image to prevent stealing and illegal using, but to still leave the image in a relatively good quality and let people enjoy viewing them. Is there a solution to serve both goals?

[Phot_One]

This is what I do. Have a look at the watermark I use in the URL below. It's a small site made using the Lightroom SlideshowPro plug-in. The whole process is automated in Lightroom with a Photoshop image. You can do it totally within Lightroom with the mogrify plug-in, but I prefer to use my method. Whereby using a PSD file that I keep as the main watermark image and have different layers for different projects and clients. That way, you only need one action for all occasions. You simply close or open the relevant layer for the watermark you need.

http://www.activevisionphotography.co.uk/YEOVIL_TWN_CRY_COMP_2009/index.html

[vAfotoriporter]

Not bad idea, what I do now is something similar but with less opacity. My only problem with your version is that it's almost invisible and hard to read. With some play with resolution it almost disappears. Not to mention that people don't usually remember my e-mail address with my less opacity, more readable watermark.

Any way it seems the only way to find a good enough opacity for the center watermark, no other soulution or choice.

[Phot_One]

Not bad idea, what I do now is something similar but with less opacity. My only problem with your version is that it's almost invisible and hard to read. With some play with resolution it almost disappears. Not to mention that people don't usually remember my e-mail address with my less opacity, more readable watermark.

Any way it seems the only way to find a good enough opacity for the center watermark, no other soulution or choice.

I wouldn't put your e-mail address in the watermark. Is that what you were implying? The watermark is there to prevent screen grabbing. I find it's best to use a large bold type so the centre of the text is transparent and outlined with an outer glow that you can see against dark parts of the image and a drop shadow so you can see against light parts. My graphic is always larger than any of the images. Using image place means that the watermark graphic is always whole and central in the image. You can of course place it anywhere but simplicity rules by image place. The opacity of the watermark is always a compromise. anywhere between 25 and 40% works fine depending on the design, I think mine's 30%. It's better to be almost invisible. That way you can see it but it's not too intrusive. It would take a great deal of skill and time to retouch it out.

[neobux]

If you are going to use a watermark, care should be taken to ensure that the watermark is effective, not only for proving that an image was modified, but also for educating the would-be pirates about copyright and ownership. Ideally, the watermark should be a copyright symbol along with the name of the owner, and the URL of the owner's web site, if applicable. This not only conveys the message of copyright, but it gives others an opportunity to contact the original owner of the image.