Page 44 - Photo Review

TIPS ` OUTPUT

your name mark the image as yours and if
the copyright symbol is included, indicate you
own the copyright.
8QIRUWXQDWHO\ DGYDQFHG DUWLÀFLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH
(AI) technologies like those developed recently
by Google can enable the automatic removal
of watermarks from multiple images. Invisible
watermarking is one way to address these
issues, assuming most image 'pirates' will
ignore watermarks they can't see.
Fortunately, experience shows that most
of the time, people who 'steal' other people's
images from the web don't bother to edit out
visible watermarks. And, of those who do
DWWHPSW WR UHPRYH ZDWHUPDUNV LW V GLIÀFXOW
WR GR VR ZLWKRXW VLJQLÀFDQWO\ GHJUDGLQJ WKH
image itself.
PicMarkr (www.picmarkr.com) is one of the
simplest freeware applications we've tried. It's
available online and can be used to watermark
photos as you upload them to Facebook, Flickr
Professional image editors like Photoshop provide facilities for embedding your copyright information in the
or Picasa accounts. It includes resizing facilities
image metadata.
and provides plenty of options for creating
watermarks with individual styling. Windows
Unfortunately, there is no way to 'lock' this
users can also download a 'Pro' version to use
embedded information into the metadata of
RIÁLQH HQDEOLQJ WKHP WR ZDWHUPDUN EDWFKHV RI
your images in a way that it can't be removed or
PRUH WKDQ ÀYH LPDJHV WKH OLPLW RI WKH RQOLQH
changed. Metadata editors exist and are easily application).
located via a Google search.
But, while a watermark will help to
In addition, simply uploading an image to identify legitimate licensing versus copyright
a website or having it processed online to infringement, it won't make it much easier for
a different size might result in a partial or you to track down breaches. You will still have
total loss of metadata. Photoshop's Save for WR VFDQ WKH ZHE WR ÀQG RXW LI DQ LPDJH KDV
:HE IHDWXUH PLQLPLVHV WKH ÀOH VL]H E\ QRW been used.
HPEHGGLQJ DQ ,&& SURÀOH DQG XQIRUWXQDWHO\ A popular way to do this is through one if the
by stripping out all the metadata, including the neat 'reverse search engines', such as Google's
IPTC metadata panels. It will therefore strip out Reverse Image Search (https://reverse.photos)
any copyright data you embedded. or TinEye (www.tineye.com). They can reveal
While removing embedded copyright information such as where an image came
metadata is generally against the law in most IURP KRZ LW LV EHLQJ XVHG LI PRGLÀHG YHUVLRQV
FRXQWULHV EUHDFKHV FDQ EH GLIÀFXOW WR SROLFH of the image exist or if there is a higher
It can be so time-consuming tracking down resolution version.
instances where your photos have been used 7LQ(\H V V\VWHP ZRUNV ZLWK ;0/ ,PDJHPDS
without your permission that, in the past, many ÀOHV 7KH ZHEVLWH SURYLGHV GHWDLOV RI KRZ WR
photographers simply gave up trying and looked
PicMarker makes it easy to add a watermark to your add your images to the TinEye index, which
for simple preventative measures. FDQ EH VHDUFKHG E\ HLWKHU XSORDGLQJ WKH ÀOH
images before they are uploaded to a sharing website.
straight from your hard drive or using the
Tracking breaches image's URL address.
One popular way to stop people from copying In May 2017 a new technology platform
your photos is to watermark them. It's easy was launched with the aim of making it even
enough to do and you can choose between easier for photographers to keep track of how
visible and invisible watermarks. A Google search and where their images are used. Known as
will quickly locate watermarking software and Binded, it is based in the USA and uses a
you can choose between freeware and software system that lets photographers upload images
you purchase. to a private copyright vault. For each image
Generic text watermarks that don't connect XSORDGHG D XQLTXH ÀQJHUSULQW LV FUHDWHG DQG
images to you, such as 'Protected', 'Preview' saved permanently on the bitcoin blockchain.
An example of a watermarked image. The overlaid
or 'Do not use' do little more than indicate the 7KH FUHDWRU UHFHLYHV D FRS\ULJKW FHUWLÀFDWH ZLWK
copyright message would be almost impossible to
image belongs to somebody. Watermarks with proof of creation.
remove without trace.
42 PHOTOREVIEW AUSTRALIA | Issue 75 www.photoreview.com.au