DVD or CD. Protecting from making copy

Hi,

Are you adding watermarks to your images?


Ben

Something like this? Or this? Just Google "mac copyright protect photo".

EDIT: iWatermark gets a good rating here.




-mj

Message was edited by: macjack

I don't know of any foolproof way. If you want to just provide samples, you could watermark them with a semi-transparent overlay so that they could view the photos but the watermark would make it undesirable for printing or general viewing. But once you distribute the photos in a format that the purchaser can use to make prints, etc., I can't think of any way you can prevent them from giving those digital files to someone else or making extra prints to give away. Even with a slide show or Flash display, it's still possible to screen-capture the photos. The only other option I can think of, which would only apply to preventing printing, would be to provide the photos as Adobe Acrobat documents with printing disabled. But that wouldn't prevent the PDFs from being given away.

Sorry, but unless there's someone a lot smarter than me that would have an idea, I don't think there's much if anything you can do from a technical standpoint. Legal measures, perhaps, as the invisible/unobtrusive watermarks the others have suggested would do (they won't prevent copying, but would help in identifying the work as yours should you find it in nonauthorized hands), and perhaps pricing measures (pricing assuming that copies will be given away, for instance) are about the only remotely practical steps a photographer can take.

Message was edited by: Dave Sawyer

Give your clients 72 dpi digital images, which will look fine on screen, but won't print out very nicely. Keep the original hi-res images with you for when they want to order prints.

Ideally, supply Low-Resolution/72dpi watermarked images fairly small. This will insure that they are big enough for your clients to view but will mean they can't print them without having your watermark stamped on them. Sadly, the digital age we are in nowadays means that nothing is 100% safe from being duplicated or reproduced.

Sorry I can't provide a better answer than the others but think for a second.

Think about your customers' motivations for copying instead of calling you.
Try to imagine what's in their minds. "Why should I call the photographer and pay him for prints when I can do it myself?"

You have two options:

1) Use technical means to prevent them from doing it.

2) Provide them something that they can't get anywhere else.

You can use Digimarc. You can visibly watermark. You can use some software scheme to encrypt files or make them difficult to copy. You can probably do 100 different things. But you still haven't addressed the main question.

What can you do that would make them WANT to call you back?
What can you do that provides them with a service that they can't do themselves?

I don't know what you can do because I don't know your skills. I don't know what equipment you have. I don't know the nature of your business. However, let me make some general suggestions.

Can you provide "giant" hi-res prints?
How about picture packages?
Memory books? DVD slide shows? Graphic design?

I don't know... My suggestions are probably lame. But I'm trying to say that you should try to do something that people really want and that they would willingly pay for.

Long story short: Let's apply some lateral thinking.

they will be quick in blaming me if the pirated prints are terrible, and not only cut my revenue, but will also present poor example of my work their friends and family.

About all you can do is explain clearly, both verbally and in writing, both at contract time and at time of ordering copies, exactly what it is the they're purchasing for a given amount. If you do provide only 72-dpi screen-only versions, you need to make that very, very clear that they will look good on screen/web site/slideshow but that they will not print well and that prints, or printable versions, are available at extra cost. That won't eliminate the problem, but being very upfront and clear will help stave off at least some of the complaints. You might even consider some sort of watermark, invisible or if possible very unobtrusive in tiny print at the edge of the photo where you put your own copyright information (if you do), some verbiage like "On-screen version. Not suitable for printing".

Regards.