{"id":73221,"date":"2021-09-03T10:00:47","date_gmt":"2021-09-03T14:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=73221"},"modified":"2021-09-02T10:23:09","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T14:23:09","slug":"what-is-a-watermark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/what-is-a-watermark\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Watermark?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n

How do watermarks protect content creators?<\/h2>\n

As many photographers have learned, it\u2019s hard to protect digital images once they\u2019re on the internet. Even if you\u2019ve filed a copyright with the Federal Copyright Office<\/a>, you may find one of your photos in use without your permission on a website or on social media.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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).<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Who uses watermarks?<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Take a look at a U.S. $10 bill, and you\u2019ll see the watermarks that help prevent currency counterfeiting. If you hold paper currency to the light, you\u2019ll spot a very faint image embedded in the paper.<\/p>\n

Digital watermarking is a little different than what you\u2019ll find in currency and checks, but it offers a similar level of protection for creators.<\/p>\n

Is watermarking images always a good idea?<\/h2>\n

Photographers and other content creators are generally split on the idea of watermarks. Anyone who\u2019s fairly Photoshop savvy can remove a digital watermark with a bit of work, so some photographers don\u2019t see the point in using them. Other photographers hate the way watermarks look and don\u2019t want to mark their beautiful photos with what they see as an ugle text watermark overlay.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

What type of watermark is best to use on my photos?<\/h2>\n

If you plan to use a visible watermark, it\u2019s 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\u2019t distract from the image while still informing viewers of the work\u2019s origin?<\/p>\n

Here are a few common types of watermarks to consider, along with their ideal uses.<\/p>\n

1. Proofing watermarks<\/h3>\n

Many photographers and designers show clients early versions of project work with a low-opacity text overlay. Words like \u201cProof,\u201d \u201cDraft,\u201d or Version X\u201d will ensure that the images aren\u2019t downloaded and posted or reprinted. The watermark is both obvious and unattractive \u2014 for a reason.<\/p>\n

2. Logo watermarks<\/h3>\n

A watermark featuring your logo in one corner is a great option for most photographers and content creators. They\u2019re easy to design in Photoshop or Lightroom, and you can apply them to multiple images as a batch action to save time and effort.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

3. Informative watermarks<\/h3>\n

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\u2019s harder to remove than logo watermarks placed in the corner.<\/p>\n

Other watermark tips to consider<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s some more information to keep in mind as you question whether to add watermarks to your work or not.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Watermarks are harder to remove if they\u2019re positioned over a portion of the image with a complex texture<\/li>\n
  • A good watermark is noticeable but not distracting. You don\u2019t want to ruin the look of your image with a garish watermark.<\/li>\n
  • Make sure to save watermarked versions of your images separately. Do this to avoid accidentally overwriting your original image with a watermarked version.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11111164,"featured_media":9486,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[1464,1835,11400],"class_list":["post-73221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photo","category-trending","tag-copyright-1464","tag-watermark-1835","tag-watermarks"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is a Watermark? - Adorama<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A watermark is a piece of visual information applied to a photograph, image, or video. 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