Ask The Retoucher #61 Watermark Your Pictures

If you are part of a business or organization that posts pictures on a website, Facebook Page or a blog, you may want to consider protecting each picture with a watermark. This could help prevent someone from downloading your picture, using it in any they want, modifying it or even claiming it as their own creation.

A watermark is a subtle symbol, text or log that is put in the picture that identifies the owner or creator of that picture.

Another technique is to make your image a low-resolution image, which would create a very small picture when downloaded. This might prevent people from doing much with it.

On the PhotoGrafix website, the images on the professional services section are very small.

To see an example of a watermark, visit the Stockfuel stock image website. You'll see the watermark they use. Beware: Dishonest people may still try to remove the watermark! 

Add a Watermark to your Images

Open an image in Photoshop. 

1. Create a new layer. Name it Watermark.
2. Take the Text Tool, change the color, use a large enough typeface and type a copyright name. Center the text on the image.
3. Keep text selected, choose Character Palette and use a Sans Serif font.
4. Do a “Layer Effect.” In the Layers Palette, create a Drop Shadow, turn off Global Light, spread it out. Add a Bevel effect with Outer Glow. Drop the opacity in the Layer Palette, moving the slider to the appropriate effect.
5. Once you have made a watermark that you like, you can duplicate it.
6. If you have a logo, you can copy the Layer Effect style and paste it onto the logo.
7. You can also use the Line Tool and apply the Layer Effect to it and use it throughout the image.

Another Way to Do It

1. Eliminate all layers except the watermark. Adjust the Line Tool to right angles. This can now work on vertical or horizontal images.
2. Rasterize and flatten the layers. Save this as “My Watermark Test 1”.
3. Open your image.
4. File/Place/Watermark Test puts it right into the image.
5. Make an Action script by clicking the Page icon. Call it Place Watermark Test. Hit the Play button, and it will automatically place it as a Layer in the image. This can also be done in Batch Mode for multiple images, saving you lots of time.

That's all for this edition! If you find this article useful, please return the favor! Share it or Like it using any of the share buttons below. Send your questions and problem photos, your location—and genealogical society affiliation if appropriate—to Eric for future "Ask The Retoucher" columns. Visit Photo Grafix online for more information.

Eric runs Photo Grafix, a humble photo-retouching studio in Evanston, Illinois (USA). He's taught hundreds through the methods of his Photo Restoration Basics course. If he doesn't know the answer, he won't rest until he finds it. Eric Basir is at your service: With each "Ask The Retoucher" article, he'll help you successfully tackle your digital photographic problems. 

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—Edited by Judy Bond. Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved.