Watermarks

[TwistedBtch]

When I modelled I had a few images taken from the net etc, so when i satrt posting my photos ive taken I want to get my watermark right from the start.

I have a few questions, can you use any font on your computer without potentially breaking copyright?

Is it best to keep the watermark to a corner so as to preserve the image, or to put it through the image to lessen the chance of it being stolen?

Do you prefer to add the year to your watermark?

thanks in advance

 

[amnesia]

Welcome to TP

I think there are a number of options here...

1) a nice big opaque watermark (with anything on it) right across the image that will stop people from using it

2) a proper copyright notice (bottom right is my preference) which I believe needs to have the encircled 'c' symbol + the year of first publishing (or year image taken) + the name of the owner / photographer. [Note that (c) isn't a substitute for the correct copyright symbol.]

3) only post images of a low resolution and/or dpi to make them unusable for anything useful (640x480 max)

Remember that anything you put on the 'net can (and will) be copied.

I have never considered using fonts on my shots to be a breach of copyright... if you get any pictures published in a magazine or rag it would be without the watermark anyway I would imagine.

 

[Bythesea]

I agree with Daniel on 1 and 3, though I understand that you don't need to show the copyright in any specific way to make it enforceable. You either own the copyright or you don't (though having it shown on there does make it more obvious that you take it seriously).

Regarding fonts, it depends on how you aquired them. If it is one that you have bought (either separately or within another package or is freeware) then you would almost certainly have the licence to use them. If however it is one that has been downloaded" then legally you shouldn't be using it, so could have problems (though very unlikely unless it is a distinctive font).

But I am not a lawyer... and welcome to TP

 

[Carter64]

How about Open Source fonts? There's quite a variety out there. I have to admit, I'd never even thought that using a proprietary font may infringe a copyright. It'll be interesting to see if we can get a definitive answer.
My personal, non-legally qualified opinion is that as the font is used as part of a device to stop commercial use of the entire image (including watermark) , then copyright of the font isn't an issue?
ie you're not gaining commercially or financially from using it?

 

[boliston]

I think the key with watermarks is to keep them subtle and at the very edge of the pic.

I've seen so many good pics ruined by intrusive watermarks bang in the middle.

If you are worried about pics being stolen then it's best to keep them off the web altogether.