Notice... don't give your photos away

I mentioned this in the business section but spend more time over here and know not everybody checks out other sections so here it is in all it's cut and paste glory...

Don't know if this has been mentioned here yet, but just a heads up for all you Facebook users. Facebook is in the process of giving users a high resolution download option for photos. I've already seen it here and there.
So, if you're uploading your photos in high res to Facebook and not downsizing them first, you're now giving your photos away for free.

Make sure you downsize.

as of right now it seems to come and go. Every once in a while I'll see the download option... I saw it on my page the other day. But I had to sign out and not be logged in to get it. Just tried it now and it wasn't there.

Obviously, it's a work in progress.

Link - http://mpactphoto.com …acebook-hi-res-downloads/

Meh. I watermark everything before it goes online. Even on here. If they want to print watermarked images... I really don't mind!

So... they download your photos in high res, crop out the watermark and print an 11x14.

whatever floats your boat.

Well my watermark usually goes in the middle of the photo to the side but I guess if they really wanted to crop it out they could. But it would probably just be easier to take the disc I give them and print that way, wouldn't you think?

Assuming you give everybody who attends the wedding a disk... then yes.

It depends on your business model, of course, but for me, I'm not concerned. In another thread just a few days ago, I pondered aloud about possible changes. I no longer provide the hi-res images for free; they either the CD either needs to be purchased or will come free with albums, etc. Until the couple makes the necessary commitment to earn their CD, my on-line gallery is watermarked. Once I've been paid for the images, I don't much trouble myself with a loss of control. Contractually, they are now their images to do with as they please.

I've had folks take my images at facebook size crop out my watermark and post them on their FB pages... I've had NO problem proving to FB that this had been done and that the offender needed to lose the images... and the images disappear from their pages....

I work hard and don't want to give away my images...

I think you're missing the point Robert...

You said it's not a concern because you no longer offer hi-res images for free? ... .... the problem is exactly that. If you are uploading high res photos to facebook then you will soon be giving them away for free. So the bride paid for her disk, what does it matter if she can download the photos in high res?... but all those guests did not pay for that disk can now download your files in all their high res glory.

I downsize mine and always have so no problem with me. This is simply a heads up to those that upload photos to facebook without downsizing them first and don't use big ugly watermarks in the middle of their images.

Ah, as is so often the case, I am indeed missing the point. I thought we were talking about the bride taking the images from the disc and posting them to FB and having them spread from there but it's actually about lifting the images we post to our FB page?

If that's the issue, I remain not very concerned as I only post 4-5 for the purose of taging. Then I create a second post with a flash slideshow that's hosted on my Zenfolio site of ~120 images. Flash, of course, makes it harder to lift. The slideshow is a nicer way to display them, offers some protection, and helps drive traffic back to my gallery site.

This assumes, though, that I'm getting it this time.

problem solved .. only offer packages that have the hires DVD included.

PeaceFire wrote in post #11074995
Meh. I watermark everything before it goes online. Even on here. If they want to print watermarked images... I really don't mind!

A couple once showed me a print of a watermarked image from my blog, and didn't realise there was anything wrong with that.

tim wrote in post #11076762
A couple once showed me a print of a watermarked image from my blog, and didn't realise there was anything wrong with that.

Yeah I figure if they want my watermark on there it can actually be advantageous for me. If even one person sees that prints, likes it, remembers the name on the watermark, and hires me from it... sweet!

Out of curiosity, does anyone load that many images onto Facebook? I pick 5 from every wedding or portrait session and post those as a "teaser". I can't imagine how long it would take to load EVERY image and who would possibly want to see that.

PeaceFire wrote in post #11079472
Yeah I figure if they want my watermark on there it can actually be advantageous for me. If even one person sees that prints, likes it, remembers the name on the watermark, and hires me from it... sweet!

Out of curiosity, does anyone load that many images onto Facebook? I pick 5 from every wedding or portrait session and post those as a "teaser". I can't imagine how long it would take to load EVERY image and who would possibly want to see that.

I typically post anywhere from 20-40 of my favorite images from my weddings, a little detail, B&G shots, reception, enough variety for anyone at the wedding to see, plus if I can tag a few extra people in my FB gallery that's easily a few extra thousand friends of friends who are going to see my watermarked images, free advertising the way I see it!!

PeaceFire wrote in post #11079472
Yeah I figure if they want my watermark on there it can actually be advantageous for me. If even one person sees that prints, likes it, remembers the name on the watermark, and hires me from it... sweet!

Out of curiosity, does anyone load that many images onto Facebook? I pick 5 from every wedding or portrait session and post those as a "teaser". I can't imagine how long it would take to load EVERY image and who would possibly want to see that.

I load lots... gets more traffic than website or blog... we actually ditched the blog long ago. The more friends they tag in their photos... the more phone calls we get.

sctbiggs wrote in post #11081242
I load lots... gets more traffic than website or blog... we actually ditched the blog long ago. The more friends they tag in their photos... the more phone calls we get.

I also appreciate the viral nature of a FB page, and though I've never had one myself (I just don't understand them and haven't taken the time to learn), there's an awful lot of SEO value to be had in a blog that you wouldn't get from FB. Web searches start finding you for venues, churches, wedding planners, or other things that you mention in it.

Like I said, I'm not doing one either, but I don't think FB is necessarily a replacement for a blog.