When should you use a watermak on your photos?

[Photolistic]

I am curious when you would use a watermark on your photos for online and printed. Also when you should not use one.

[amonline]

Anytime you feel you need protection or want to avoid their possible printing for commercial use. (ie: if you're interested in the loss of payment or commision)

[funnypicmaker]

i don't recommend "watermaks" at all. the pimp-shaped pattern is distracting. :-)

[Mathiau]

Printed never - you can mark it on the back, but if this is a purchased image, then the watermark should not be visible on the front, but the back is fine.

web - everything.

[WhatEyeSee]

Mathiau - why not on the front for printed, what if it was small in a bottom corner?

[cdifoto]

When should you use a watermak on your photos?

When you get good enough that anyone would even want to steal your stuff...or when a photo credit is for praise instead of blame. :)

[Mathiau]

Mathiau - why not on the front for printed, what if it was small in a bottom corner?


usually when you pay for something, you dont want things all over the picture, if i pay for an image, i want the image, i want to be able to full frame it, if someone asks, i will know where i got it from.

For me seeing a watermark in the image would ruin it for me, i am buying the image to admire it, not to look at who i got it from.

[WhatEyeSee]

Mathiau - umhh interesting - thanks. Currently I put a small signature in the corner of my prints. I had pondered this and "polled" some opinions (not here) and all liked it.

I guess the clothing indrustry is different? LOL - people now a days are walking around w/ the tags still on the clothes (I just don't get that)

[EOSAddict]

A small signature is probably different to a PS's (C) symbol. Your signature could be seen as part of the art.

[WhatEyeSee]

I guess I mixed apple and oranges.

Watermarks and signatures are two different things. Didn't mean to hijack your thread. One of the response led me to think they were also talking about signatures.

[Mathiau]

a signed signature, that i wouldnt mind so much as a watermater.

a signature seems to make it more personal, the artist took the time to sign and date the image, a watermark is just a mark left by some software.

[Photolistic]

Then when someone asks who took the picture they will remember it because your sig. is on the front.

[Jon, The Elder]

matthewlrigdon - Pretty much echos my asessment of the situation.