A watermark is a piece of visual information applied to a photograph, image, or video. It typically depicts a logo or copyright information, but a watermark can actually provide much more than that. Based on your design, it can include contact information, important text, or other info to protect the visual content beneath it.
How do watermarks protect content creators?
As many photographers have learned, it’s hard to protect digital images once they’re on the internet. Even if you’ve filed a copyright with the Federal Copyright Office, you may find one of your photos in use without your permission on a website or on social media.
If someone uses your image without permission, you can send a cease and desist letter or file a complaint with the social media platform where you saw the image. But stopping the unauthorized use of your images often takes some detective work, which takes time out of your day.
Watermarks protect content creators because they attach your information to the image. That way, you still get credit when someone shares your work (unless they edit it out, which is its own headache).
Who uses watermarks?
Photographers, brands, and content creators are among the most common contemporary users of digital watermarks. However, watermarks were originally developed to prevent criminals from counterfeiting banknotes, checks, and other important financial documents.
Take a look at a U.S. $10 bill, and you’ll see the watermarks that help prevent currency counterfeiting. If you hold paper currency to the light, you’ll spot a very faint image embedded in the paper.
Digital watermarking is a little different than what you’ll find in currency and checks, but it offers a similar level of protection for creators.
Is watermarking images always a good idea?
Photographers and other content creators are generally split on the idea of watermarks. Anyone who’s fairly Photoshop savvy can remove a digital watermark with a bit of work, so some photographers don’t see the point in using them. Other photographers hate the way watermarks look and don’t want to mark their beautiful photos with what they see as an ugle text watermark overlay.
Many photographers on the other side of the argument believe that a digital watermark is a small price to pay for protecting their digital work. These photographers often use different watermarks for different purposes.
What type of watermark is best to use on my photos?
If you plan to use a visible watermark, it’s a good idea to zero in on your objective first. Do you want a watermark that completely covers the image and deters would-be thieves from stealing your digital work? Do you want something small that doesn’t distract from the image while still informing viewers of the work’s origin?
Here are a few common types of watermarks to consider, along with their ideal uses.
1. Proofing watermarks
Many photographers and designers show clients early versions of project work with a low-opacity text overlay. Words like “Proof,” “Draft,” or Version X” will ensure that the images aren’t downloaded and posted or reprinted. The watermark is both obvious and unattractive — for a reason.
2. Logo watermarks
A watermark featuring your logo in one corner is a great option for most photographers and content creators. They’re easy to design in Photoshop or Lightroom, and you can apply them to multiple images as a batch action to save time and effort.
The downside of logo watermarks is that they work best with simple and easy-to-read logos. The watermark will be small, so make sure the design isn’t too complex. If someone really wants to use your image without your permission, they can easily crop out the watermark if it’s placed in a corner.
3. Informative watermarks
If your goal is to help viewers know where to find you, a faint watermark with your web address, phone number, or email address is a great option. You can place it over any portion of the image, and it’s harder to remove than logo watermarks placed in the corner.
Other watermark tips to consider
Here’s some more information to keep in mind as you question whether to add watermarks to your work or not.
- Watermarks are harder to remove if they’re positioned over a portion of the image with a complex texture
- A good watermark is noticeable but not distracting. You don’t want to ruin the look of your image with a garish watermark.
- Make sure to save watermarked versions of your images separately. Do this to avoid accidentally overwriting your original image with a watermarked version.
