Photobucket

Thursday, May 19, 2011

How To Watermark Your Image

To follow this tutorial you must have some understanding about editing programs and layers.


A few years ago I received a message from an online friend. We were both members of a parenting forum and, as with some people, this friend was a member of more then one forum. While on another forum (that I did not frequent) she found a member posting photos of "her kids" only to find that those were not her kids but my kids.  You hear about things like this but until it happens to you you will not realize how horrible that feels. Just knowing some (obviously insane) person is posing your kids as her/his own will make your skin crawl. 
I took all of my photos down after that but that is just NOT me. I am a photo freak and I love posting them online for my friends and family to see. So after a period of paranoia I decided that I would post again online and just be flattered that someone thought they were attractive enough to steal but I watermarked the heck out of them...that eventually stopped because I'm lazy like that.

 
With my photography photos though (my more professional type images) I always watermark. And you should too! 


Wait...did I just say "photography photos"? 

You do not want someone stealing an image you put so much into and then claim it as their own. 
I still have an issue with using a watermark as an intruder on my image. I usually keep mine small and off to the side which is not too brilliant of an idea. It's one of those "Do as I say, not as I do" things.  :)

Not a good watermark
This first one can easily be cloned out or darkened out.


On this image the watermark is so high that it can easily be cropped out without disturbing the main focus of the image.



A "true" watermark should lap over onto the main subject of the photo so it is less likely to be snatched up. 
You have to remember though that a watermark is just a hindrance, it is not 100% fool proof.  Anyone with experience in Photoshop (or the like) can remove it within seconds but it does help to deter them if it is too much work. 


This is a better watermark


Here the watermark is on her skin and clothing.




The best way to use a watermark


Notice how the watermark is right over her face. The face is something that potential photo thieves do not want to mess with because it is harder to hide the fact that it was touched. Keep in mind though that there are master Photoshoppers out there who love a challenge so this is not always guaranteed. 






I have to note that I keep calling this a "watermark" and you may be thinking...well, that does not look like a watermark to me! 
I realize that but this is the look that I like for my images. By the time you are done with this tutorial you will be able to have your watermark look like the more transparent mark you may have in your head. 


It's very simple.


First you want to open your image in your editing program of choice. I do not use Photoshop so I'm unfamiliar with all the tools on it but I will use generic terms as much as possible. 
If you do not have a photo editing program you can always use Photobucket.  Photobucket, I believe, has all of the tools we use for this when you click to "edit" a photo on that site.


>Once you have opened your image you must add a new raster level.




>Make sure your new level is highlighted so you know that is the level you are working on. 

>Click on your 'Text Tool'


>Choose the font you want to use.


>Locate the area you wish to have your mark. I have chosen her face.


>Type your your name or wording of your choice.
 




 Here I have my opacity for my text level set at 100%. This ensures my text is just as I typed it. 




Now, there are two ways you can get the transparent look. 
The first is you can just lower your opacity level on your text. 


You can see now that I have lowered my opacity to 50% and it has lightened the txt a bit so the white is less intrusive. This is usually how I do it because it is nice and quick and I want to get out of editing as fast as possible. ;o)




The other way to do this is just as easy and the way I started out doing it but,like I said, I'm really lazy about it I just don't have the time. :)


>Make sure you are still working on the level where you text is located.


> Find your embossing effect. Mine is located under "Effects".




>Click "Emboss" and your text will then have the embossed effect.


It should look something like this: 






If you like the look you can leave it like that but it's harsh for sure....and kind of ugly, let's be honest.


>Still working on the text layer...just move your opacity down to the look that you want.


Here I have lowered mine to 34%. You can see the name is still there but and very noticeable but not white, more like a...watermark! 



When you are done just make sure you merge your layers and save.


Hopefully this has helped and this can be used on any photo at all, not just portraits. 


Watermark away!

2 comments:

  1. Hey Crystal,

    Very informative. I orderd some prints from glamour shots, they are telling me they will have watermarks, is there anyway I can scan or print these without the marks? If so, please let me know. Also, I want to get into photography, did u go to school for this? Your prints are great!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lisa,
    Are the prints you ordered proofs? If not then the watermark should be off to the side and not directly on the person. More to the bottom right corner of the image.

    The watermarks can be removed very easily though but it is against the law to do so. You can always find someone willing to do it though.

    I did not go to school at all. I have just loved photography for about 11 yrs now and it has all been A LOT of trial and error and picking people's brains, reading blogs...whatever I could latch on to and I still have a way to go. lol

    Thank you for the compliment! :)

    ReplyDelete