Protecting images from downloading.
HI...
I have researched this but thought I would ask those in the know or with experience. In aweb hosted photo gallery how do you prevent your images from being downloaded(the famous right click) and being used. Yes, you can copyright the image and imbed that and your name but I understand for who know how this marks can be removed. You can also post warnings, etc. but crooks don't care. I heard that putting your images in a Flash or movie mode can prevent downloading. I would like my images presented as large as possible on the screen.
Thanks.
Big Fish
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
It doesn't matter what you do because if someone wants to download your image they can do a screen capture with any number of software options (including one in every OS I know of) and I don't know of anything that can/will stop this from happening.
If someone *really* wants to steal your images there's not really anything you can do, but most of the steps to keep people from downloading your images inconvenience the 99.99% of people surfing your website who are not going to take anything.
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
If you fear your images will be downloaded, don't put them online.
There is always a way to download the content.
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
forgettaboutit. That is PERIOD. When it is viewed it is already downloaded on the the users computer. Do not publish images mush larger than 600 px longest dimension.
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
If you want to be a professional photographer you have to take that risk. Embed your metadata copyright tag into every image, post a copyright notice on your website, and register the copyrights of your images. Then if you catch someone with large pockets using your images without permission you've lucked out and can cash in.
But you really can't do much about the little guys and girls swiping your images other than to complain and threaten.
If some kid hotlinks your image to their myspace acct you can have some good fun though ;-)
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Frank Petronio
If some kid hotlinks your image to their myspace acct you can have some good fun though ;-)
Oh, it's quite fun to play the "switch" the file game on those hotlinking to your images :)
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
I put a watermark in my images so they'd have a heck of a time removing the mark.
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
Basically, keep them small enough that they will not make good printed images. As others have noted, if it is possible to see them, they can be captured in a screen shot.
Ciao!
Gordon Moat Photography
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
If they are small then your portfolio looks like crap, so it's a trade off. Would you rather not get work because nobody can see how nice your images are? Or would you rather trade that so that some 16-year old can't use your images?
Re: Protecting images from downloading.
If your question is to me Frank, my images are sized on my website to be viewable on most laptops, somewhat fitting the current standard for website dimensions. If you took those dimensions to printed sizes, then you can get about a 1.75" by 2.25" print at 300dpi. I hardly think that provides a usable printed image, though at 680 by 520 pixels, it is a good website image size.
When people want to see more of my images, I send them my book. Then when the execs are sitting around their conference table discussing a project or campaign, they can compare the images in my book to those of other photographers. The next most likely way I have seen an AD or CD view images is on an iPhone or iPod Touch; and my website images look quite nice on that.
Ciao!
Gordon Moat Photography