Thursday, March 22, 2012

Watermarks - Protect Your Intellectual Property


You might have noticed this on my photos in the last month. 

Watermark- Yes! Do you use them? Did you hear about the 12 high school students whose pictures ended up on a Porn site? Yup that's right. Is this something you should be concerned about?  I don't know.  Do you have kids? No kids, no worries...wrong you should always be worried. 

Do you also know someone can use 10% of written content as long as the source has been credited?  YOU CAN NOT - CAN NOT - take someones photo(s) without permission! CAN NOT. 

What got me started? I had a meeting with a local landscaper architect.  In the summer of 2011 I was asked to bid as a sub contractor on one of his jobs that included Dry Laid Stone Construction. In my area dry stack stone is something landscape companies do by building walls 12" high around trees for flower beds. Maryland really does not have much in way of Dry laid stone construction. I was so excited to see someone including dry stone in their designs - I had to meet this wonderful designer.

When the time came this year to meet the designer who cares enough to include green building into his landscapes I was pumped. During our meeting at his office I was able understand what he does and explain to him what I do.  As we sat and spoke about the current job I had bid on, he showed me some of the photos he had in his photo library--- wait he shows me some photos of stuff he likes. Ok yes photos of work he had pulled from the google image library off the web. Dry laid stone construction he liked.  As he scrolled down I spotted 3 of my jobs right on one page. WOW that's cool! Wait cool or not cool? 12 high school students......

I was honored to be in his portfolio of LIKED dry stone construction. Since my website is built on blogger but owned my google - my images become public.  This lesson gave me the opportunity to promote the safety and protection of using a watermark. I don't want my stone walls to end up on some (XXX rated).gorockin website. That might not be pretty. And, this is no laughing matter. Instead this is a copyright violation. You need to protect yourself, your work, your images. You need to keep someone from hyperlinking and or taking credit for your work. 

Making a watermark! This task takes a little more time to add to each photo, but is well worth it if the watermark can protect you and promote you all at the same time. But wait theres more if you buy now!!! We'll throw in this great safety device to keep others from JACKING YOUR PICS. Just pay shipping and handling. 

Don't be taken - add a watermark on your pictures.  

Free programs like Picasa (owned by google - go figure) can create a basic watermark with copyright very easily. You can find just about anything on the web and there are many programs you could use. I use Photoshop in order to mark my photos. Something is better then nothing. Any photo you put on the internet needs to have a watermark.

PS. A water mark is also what someone might find on there coffee table after setting down a cold beer without a coaster. Not to get the two confused after a long day of stone walling.

Related Blogs:

Business Sense - Who's stealing your Photo's? Copyright Violation



4 comments:

  1. I am totally with you on copyright. I found pictures of my house on some furniture store's website. Creepy. But they're not in our country so I can't do much about it.

    Where are you on pinning your photos with the watermark? Will you be upset? You do beautiful work and I'd like to share it.

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    Replies
    1. Sharon,
      I'm completely ok for re-pins read my blog: Business Sense - Who's stealing your Photo's? Copyright Violation. Thank you for pinning my work on your site. I have already had a bunch of hits because of your pin.. The internet sure can be a fun place when everyone shares.

      As for your house. Ya that would make me mad. That's why I started doing my watermarks across the photo. Just one more thing to slow people down.

      PS love what your doing. I don't know where you have all the time to run 4 blogs and keep up with everyone elses. By the way with all that said how did you come across my site?

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    2. I found your site by some other site showing some of your work. And since I'm a very responsible pinner, I went looking for the original source. I always do that. Then, I'll go ahead and pin some of your beautiful walls. Thanks!

      I really only run 1 blog, the Laurelhurst 1912 Craftsman. The other blogs are either inactive, or are other people's blogs I have been invited to contribute to. =)

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    3. Well thank you again for asking about posting images. Pin till your blue in the face.... Thank you again for the comments on my walls. Keep up all the great work with blogging and helping others. That's very kind of you.

      I like that "responsible pinner" one day I'll have to get one started. Just need to find some more time in the day.

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