Watermarking photos?

So this is a kinda FP question as we all seem to use photos at some point. I'm on a Mac and pretty technologically illiterate. At the moment I use iphoto but can't find a way to mark photos in it. Photoshop is way out of my price range. I'm at a point where I am starting to come up with some designs of my own rather than just "inspired by" stuff and I'm looking to get a web page other than facebook happening. I don't think I'm good enough that someone would take my pictures or anything I just think it adds a nice professional touch when I see some of the cool watermarks on this site. So what programs are people using? TIA

There's an article here: http://cameras.about.com/od/photoeditingtips/a/How-To-Watermark-Your-Photos.htm

If you get something like Adobe Lightroom you can do all basic adjustments, catalog your pics and run a watermark over them. I imagine that you can probably download a trial at www.adobe.com.au
If you know a student buy an educational version, same software just cheaper.

I use Picasa. It's free and super simple. I'm sure there are better editors out there, but this one works great for easy editing.
http://picasa.google.com/

Most of the ones like Picasa etc only let you do very basic watermarking which I don't like the look of, and usually you can only place it in set areas.

I re-open my photos in Adobe Illustrator. I have another doc with my watermark in it, (I just have the same font as my www). I convert it to outlines so its easy to scale up/down, copy and paste it, and plonk it on my pic where I want it to go - you can even vary the shade/ colour to be more or less visible (or change its opacity). Then I export the pic after I re-name it to tell me its got a wm.

Bit of a faff but I got so fed up of my pics being 'borrowed', I now do it before I put anything online, AND add in the model/ photographer's name. Smallish and usually overlapping some if the design. Saves me time in the long run from typing in the correct credits all the time. And my pics are STILL being stolen but at least its harder for them to get a non-watermarked bit!


Cat x

WOW! That pic is awesome. I'd love to see someone trying to replicate one of ur stolen pics on the spot cause if they were good enough to be doing it I'm guessing they wouldn't be stealing it! that pic is all time!! I'll have to get back into watermarking, I tried a few and it didn't really work for me thx for the tip

What an amazing piece of work!!!!! Cat you are SO SO talented!! So glad i browsed through this thread!

I like this one, it's really simple and easy to use.
http://www.picnik.com/

Yes Cat ur amazing!!! what a talent, wow that steampunked piece is out of this world.

Thanks for that Ruth, I just had a go & it is simple even for me

Glad I could help, Mandi

MS PictureIt came on my laptop. I use it to add watermarks. I just add text over the image, then use "effects" to make it transparent (set to about 75-80%)... then flatten the image to save it.

I have Photoshop but I find it easier to do in PictureIt.

Aw cheers!

OK so piknik it is I just did one to see how it works......I found a nice unobtrusive font and it's free. So thank you for the tip

Yeah thanks Ruth even someone techno challenged like me can do picnik. Just in time for me as I just started coming up with some designs that aren't just inspired by designs

U welcome, I thought it was super easy and its free cant beat that lol.

I tried this picnik and it's great! Not only for watermarking but for all kind of things, like borders, colour. I had fun playing with it. (Try the neon effect!).
But do you know if it's possible to save the watermark so you can put it on another photo without having to make it again? I made a combination of my name with a curly flower, put it on a picture, saved that picture, but didn't find out how to save the settings so it can be used for other pics.
Maybe you know?
Thanks for the great tip anyway!

I would highly recommend photoshop effects. It is much less inexpenisve than photoshop but still has many of its bells and whisles. This will allow you to save your file and apply it it any image.

-Metina

Sorry Nancy, dont really know about that. I think u might have to do it each time. Play with it see if you could figure it out, but for free u cant beat it.

Ruth, I don't have many pictures to watermark so it isn't that bad to do it again. I'm very glad you posted this site. I like it and indeed it's for free!

I'm noticing a few more watermarked pics popping up on the site...makes it so much easier when I put one into my inspire file to know who to credit

I noticed that too Riana. I posted that also on another thread. Isn't it great we all learn so much and get this information.

Ruth, thank you!

Free editing blibs I use it for all my pictures they have some cool efects and its free