[vlad]

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/10/10/what...atermarks/

Gursky's and Winogrand's watermarks made me lol

[Barbara G.]

How many of you use watermarks? Do you feel they should fill the photo as much as the ones shown in this link? Or, do you think it is overkill. I totally understand the thought that people have to protect their works of art.

[jinko]

If you want the watermark to be effective, then it should be big and all over the photo. With Photoshop and all its cloning tools it's quite easy to erase a small watermark in the corner of an image.

[vlad]

I don't use watermarks. But if I was into sports or editorial photography, then most likely I would've used one.

[Korry]

Gursky's watermark is just... LOL Once I grow up, I will definitely have one like that

How many of you use watermarks? Do you feel they should fill the photo as much as the ones shown in this link? Or, do you think it is overkill. I totally understand the thought that people have to protect their works of art.

Just as jinko said, today it's quite hard to protect anything that's published somewhere on the internet. Sure, people are protective about their works of art and that's understandable, but small watermarks are easily removed and large ones kill the photo (and again, can be removed). In any case, watermark won't stop stealers from stealing, just as copyright notice won't. It will eventually give them few hours of work to remove watermark. The only real way for saving your work from stealing is to keep it to yourself.

I'm using the watermark only when presenting my photos to someone interested in buying and printing them. And then it's really huuuuge watermark that makes photo unusable

[alessya]

I used to use watermaks when I was starting out as a photographer, but then I realised it's kind of pointless, just as Korry said, it won't stop stealers from stealing. And sometimes it's not even about stealing, it's about people being able to share your images, which in a twisted way gives you exposure over the internet. It's a tricky issue and I guess there's no way to do it right. I, for one, find it pointless in this day and age, when everyone knows how to use the clone tool properly, to keep using watermaks, but that's just how I see it. As long as people don't sell your images, use them in commercial purposes or modify them in any way, I see nothing wrong with sharing, it's just the way images get around these days.

[vlad]

Yes, I agree, images get around these days. But, when distributing an image, crediting the author shouldn't be optional. It should be a habit, just like washing your hands after going to the restroom.

[alessya]

I agree, but it's hard for some people to keep this in mind; others just find the images and don't even bother to see who they belong to...it's just the way it is!