"owning" a photo

**chocolatecoveredbacon** · 01-12-2008, 01:44 PM

when posting a photograph on the web or elsewhere, what do you do to make sure that you own the photograph?

**Tippster** · 01-12-2008, 02:22 PM

http://www.digimarc.com/tech/dwm.asp

I don't bother, but then again I'm not posting anything marketable.

**7cs** · 01-12-2008, 05:33 PM

Technically the instant a picture is taken by you it is under copyright protection. It doesn't need to be registered at the copyright office. If you just want to know about copyright protection check out the FAQ at the U.S. Copyright site.

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#what

**Tippster** · 01-12-2008, 11:01 PM

How are you going to prove you took it?

**chocolatecoveredbacon** · 01-12-2008, 11:19 PM

do you suggest just putting a copyright and name on all the photos...or more like a watermark...or?

**smalls** · 01-13-2008, 11:17 AM

Embed your information into your photos and use a watermark if you so desire. Keep your RAWs or DNGs on a backup drive to prove ownership.

**anotherVTskibum** · 01-13-2008, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Tippster

How are you going to prove you took it?

If I need to, I've got the original RAW files around. No one else does. I'm pretty sure that would work in most cases to convince any reasonable person.

**chocolatecoveredbacon** · 01-13-2008, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by smalls

Embed your information into your photos and use a watermark if you so desire. Keep your RAWs or DNGs on a backup drive to prove ownership.

can i use photoshop for this?

**amyzilla** · 01-14-2008, 01:44 PM

You can enter copyright info in Photoshop by going to File -> File Info.

**Tippster** · 01-14-2008, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by amyzilla

You can enter copyright info in Photoshop by going to File -> File Info.

Unfortunately EXIF, etc. can easily be edited. Watermarking software actually embeds the info into the picture code itself - much harder to erase/edit.

**chocolatecoveredbacon** · 01-14-2008, 05:35 PM

is there any free watermarking software available, or is that something that one would purchase?

**Tippster** · 01-15-2008, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by chocolatecoveredbacon

is there any free watermarking software available, or is that something that one would purchase?

http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/bat...ng/index_r.htm

**amyzilla** · 01-15-2008, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Tippster

Unfortunately EXIF, etc. can easily be edited. Watermarking software actually embeds the info into the picture code itself - much harder to erase/edit.

hmm, good to know.

**chocolatecoveredbacon** · 01-15-2008, 12:38 PM

does watermarking mean that the information is visible on the photo, or is it just like...information attached to the photo?

**andrewjesaitis** · 01-29-2008, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by chocolatecoveredbacon

does watermarking mean that the information is visible on the photo, or is it just like...information attached to the photo?

Watermarking is the ghost logo you see on photos. The embedded data is called EXIF data, which can contain a whole range of things like your name, camera model, settings the photo was shot at, and settings used in post processing.

**chocolatecoveredbacon** · 01-29-2008, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by aj_77

Watermarking is the ghost logo you see on photos. The embedded data is called EXIF data, which can contain a whole range of things like your name, camera model, settings the photo was shot at, and settings used in post processing.

ah thanks. that's what i figured, but i wasn't sure if there were different styles of watermarks or anything.

so EXIF = convienent and easy to give all your info, but can easily be changed by anyone who has the software...?

**andrewjesaitis** · 01-29-2008, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by chocolatecoveredbacon

so EXIF = convienent and easy to give all your info, but can easily be changed by anyone who has the software...?

I supose that the EXIF data could be edited if someone wanted to and had some kind of editor, but with Lightroom (and PS, I think) the data is just made up of settings used during the shot and during processing.

If you are running firefox, get the extension called EXIF viewer and you can left click on any jpeg and see the EXIF data associated with the photo.

**Tippster** · 01-29-2008, 11:22 AM

"Could be?" It's easy as hell. Nobody who publishes low-rez versions of Pictures they plan on possibly selling relies solely on EXIF to protect their copyright, they do what Truth does and watermark the "meat" of the photo. There's no way of removing that watermark without ruining the image. Prospective clients can view the photos, then buy the full Rez non-watermarked files.

Honestly, even Grizzle6's "signed" images (see CR TR in the main forum) are easy to crop, rename, and either erase the EXIF fully or edit it, so unless he happens to stumble across them on the web they could be repurposed by an unscrupulous poopyhead very easily.

**Storm11** · 02-01-2008, 12:53 PM

Actually, unless you physically register your photos at the US copyright office, you have very little recourse if your copyright does get infringed. Yes, you do instantly own the image and the copyright to it, but unless you register that right, it doesn't really mean a whole lot.

You can, however, register your copyright even after an infringement, but if your image is older than 3 months at the time you apply for registration , then you cannot claim statutory damages or counsel fees.

ASMP has a great tutorial and FAQ on the whole thing here

But applying a digital watermark to all of your photos you post on the web is an easy way to ensure that no one can use it and claim it to be theirs. And like Tippster said, if you're really wanting to sell photos, don't post it at all anywhere public on the web if you think the photo is sellable.