Preventing image theft

[M]

I know that aside from some easily surmountable technical tricks, there is
no way to prevent an image from being stolen from a web site. The best that
can be done is to make it not worth the effort. So what tricks do people
here use or suggest?

Also, what about the possibility of embedding the image in a flash file? I
suspect there are ways to extract it but would it be easy or possible for
the casual web surfer?

What do photographers / graphic designers do to keep their online portfolios
from being abused?


M

 

[Jonathan N. Little]

I know that aside from some easily surmountable technical tricks, there is
no way to prevent an image from being stolen from a web site. The best that
can be done is to make it not worth the effort. So what tricks do people
here use or suggest?

Also, what about the possibility of embedding the image in a flash file? I
suspect there are ways to extract it but would it be easy or possible for
the casual web surfer?

What do photographers / graphic designers do to keep their online portfolios
from being abused?

As an artist I can tell you the only way is do not publish. If you think
about it the risk was the same when you blushed in a magazine or book,
someone could always make a copy from that source.

We get your question here quite often. Don't look for flash as your
salvation, screenshots are know to almost all but the most "casual" users.

As you are probably already aware your most practical approach is to
have clear copyright statements and limit the size of the images in your
online portfolio relatively low resolution to give folks just a "taste"...

 

[M]

As you are probably already aware your most practical approach is to have
clear copyright statements and limit the size of the images in your online
portfolio relatively low resolution to give folks just a "taste"...

I guess I'm looking at a combination watermark / low rez solution. What max
rez would you recommend?

M

 

[dorayme]

As an artist I can tell you the only way is do not publish. If you think
about it the risk was the same when you blushed in a magazine or book,
someone could always make a copy from that source.

We get your question here quite often. Don't look for flash as your
salvation, screenshots are know to almost all but the most "casual" users.

As you are probably already aware your most practical approach is to
have clear copyright statements and limit the size of the images in your
online portfolio relatively low resolution to give folks just a "taste"...

As JL says but there are things you can do to further your
concerns. You can password protect the pages with any significant
enlargements, requiring a registration with name and email,
confirmation email back and you know... that might put some
people off, put them through a hoop. And then there is the
further, you supply them to the protected page if they pay you
something. That does not stop them sharing it (if the price is
not nothing, people are more reluctant). Of course, you can't
stop all you want to stop, but these are some suggestions for you
if you are seriously wanting to limit access to your pics.

 

[mr rudeforth]

I guess I'm looking at a combination watermark / low rez solution. What max
rez would you recommend?

what is so important about your pic, what do you think people will be doing
with it?

 

[Jonathan N. Little]

what is so important about your pic, what do you think people will be doing
with it?

If you make you living *creating* images it is a real concern if folks
can take them and republish.

 

[mr rudeforth]

If you make you living *creating* images it is a real concern if folks
can take them and republish.

if people love the images so much they will steal/copy them from wherever
they appear be it on the net or on a bottle or in a shop window or in a
catalogue.
i used to make some sort of living (or at least be paid money for) paintings
etc, but they were a foot or bigger in size, any images i have on the www
range from 200px wide upwards at 72dpi, if people want to steal such little
things then so be it, i have the originals, and any re-use of tiny images
was just good promotion for moi.