Protecting Website / Copyrighting

[EMC]

April 11, 2011 at 8:23 am

Hi,
I have a website and I have always just uploaded my images to it and I havent put copyright watermark on my images. When I am in my website, if I right click, I can download any image from it. They are sized so that they cannot be blown up any bigger than they are but they are still decent quality.

I am now thinking about putting a watermark on my images but even if someone downloads an image, can they just clone stamp the watermark out of it or is there some way of ensuring they cannot work on my images?

Also, with regards to the website, if you try to take an image from some sites, its not possible…how are these sites secured?

Many thanks
EMC

[paul]

April 11, 2011 at 9:42 am

Any image posted on the internet can be downloaded/copied in some way or another. Once you know how to. Any watermark can also be cloned out of the image. It just takes work and time.

Some sites disable right click, and others (like mine) use a flash gallery to display images. These make it harder but not impossible to copy the images.

There is no 100% secure way of posting an image online and stop it being copied.

[thalpin]

April 11, 2011 at 4:33 pm

And the fallback method for any copying of an image regardless of protections is a simple screenshot :-)
Watermarks are never a way to prevent use, but a way to de-value a picture for re-use or to make simple copying less worthwhile. (ie. if a person was looking for a photo to print and possibly make money from, an 800×600 requiring dodgy clone stamping and a maximum of 100dpi print on a 6×4 is better than their being able to print a 300dpi A4 for example).

[tex]

April 11, 2011 at 9:30 pm

I think that the majority of photo’s that appear on this web site are spoiled for the viewer by the insertion of watermarks , title blocks and logo’s. Why would you bother stealing someone else’s photo. If you are inspired by some one’s work surely you can go out and take a similar type shot yourself which will allow you to put your own interpretation to it. I can understand why professionals may feel the need to protect their work but surely amateurs should be into photography for enjoyment sake.

[BM]

April 12, 2011 at 10:35 am

tex wrote:

… surely amateurs should be into photography for enjoyment sake.

True, but imagine how you would feel if one of your images appeared on a commercial publication/DVD – being sold for money and no recognition/revenue accruing to you …