Big Watermark

/ 1 decade ago (18 November 2007 12:48)

I want to share why I have now big centered watermarks on my work. Well... after seeing one of my captures, ripped, modified and presented in a portuguese site, by a portuguese guy as its own, what do you expect? I do not know where he got the photograph, either here, photo-net or in my own site. I had two possibilities: or stop to share here and at photo.net and only "publish" on my site with the big watermark, or to share at the usual places with the big watermark.So, if they want to rip, ok, they´ll have to ruin all the capture first...I think. Besides I have another reason which is as important as the "ripping" one. I have started to exhibit as you all know. And I have already sold some images as originals - 1/1 - image printed and sold, will never be printed again. The watermark is also a sign of "exclusivity" for the people that bought and will buy ( I hope ) my photography. One of those people, asked me how she can be sure that no one would take that capture from the internet, even in much smaller size. And I realize I have to do something. If you put this together with the ripping, you'll have an answer for the watermark. Besides and to be very honest, people that really appreciate photography, can see through that watermark. Sorry for the inconvenience to all. Thanks and cheers Photographer



Post replies:


1 decade ago (18.11.2007 01:37)
Reply by: mickeblue
Perfectly understandable Artur, and I quite agree with you that you need to protect your work from these parasites... more importantly you have to protect the rights of your customers.
Good luck with the sales Congratulation
1 decade ago (18.11.2007 02:42)
Reply by:
In total agreement with you. But I have to say If I experienced what you did and discovered a rip of my work anywhere, I would shut it down on all sites. No debating, nothing. I would be gone, along with all my work. I have always said that I will never understand the motives or sense of accomplishment from stealing a work and using it as one´s own. It will never make sense to me. Photographer
1 decade ago (18.11.2007 07:09)
Reply by: adni18
I am sharing my work for free for 6 years now, the most of my wallpapers for example have been ripped from too many different rippers. Still my work in daily basis is ripped, from here , my site, Wincustomize, Deviantart and many other sites of the skinning community.
I am having at least 10-15 emails every week, from people who want to inform me about the rips.
What can I do? Stop sharing?
No, of course not!
We share our works for FREE here and we take the risk to be ripped, this is a fact in the skinning community that we can´t change it.
If someone doesn´t want to be ripped, my suggestion is not to share his/her work in the skinning community, but only in professional sites for sale.
Big signatures or watermarks are not a solution, who cares to use a photo or a wallpaper with a huge watermark.
I wonder which is the purpose of a photo or a wallpaper upload with a huge watermark on them?

This is just my opinion my friend Artur Happy
1 decade ago (18.11.2007 07:30)
Reply by:
And you´re free to give your opinion Nikos. This is my way of dealing with this matter. Happy
1 decade ago (18.11.2007 07:31)
Reply by: sed
Sorry to inform you Artur but I have NEVER downloaded any photography... Size is my factor.... BUT I have never missed one of yours or any other photography submitted.... I ENJOY your work, gives me ideas, And I enjoy the beauty. I can see thru the water mark. I enjoy staring at it just the same,thinking! Cool
1 decade ago (18.11.2007 07:31)
Reply by:
And you´re free to give your opinion Nikos. This is my way of dealing with this matter. Happy
1 decade ago (18.11.2007 08:47)
Reply by:
Fred: In agreement with you, the problem is that I have my own site, which is the primary place where I show my work and the portuguese ripper who made that, could have taken the capture from there, to exhibit it on another photography sharing site - in this case a portuguese site - after altering the original and resized it to meet that site criteria - less than 800x600 pixels in size. I am not giving up from my site and to show my work, because "rippers". So the big WM is my only defense against that and also to protect the "exclusivity" of my buyers, as they are buying originals and paying for originals. Bro Sed, I am not against the use of images, if the author does know that people do use them. One thing is to use, another thing is to abuse and to publish something that do not belong to the person. And as you said, people can see through the WM. Nikos, again, I respect your opinion but and again, this is my way to deal with the matter. I have the feeling - or I am convinced - that I was not ripped here at SB , but probably in my own site, by a dirty portuguese guy. That´s for sure. The guy is portuguese. One of my oldest friends here in Porto,was constantly saying to me: " watch out Artur, I know guys that go often to your site and they would have no problem at all, to steal some of your "Porto" images to publish them in another site or even to make postcards from them". I have never gave attention to him Unfortunately he was right. Photographer Sad And now he is happy with my decision but said to me " you were very stupid and stubborn ". And again...he was right. Photographer