To Watermark or Not To Watermark?

Thanks for bringing this up I don't watermark not sure why I guess I just never thought about it but you bring up some great points not sure how to do it actually! 

Hi Everyone! Hi Sarah! I use Picasa to watermark my photos. Here is a link to the Picasa site... http://picasa.google.com/  so you can download the free program, if you desire to do so. And another link on YouTube... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...fGN0 that shows how to watermark your photos using Picasa. There are many more options for watermarking, but this is the program I use. If you want to learn more about watermarking photos, just type, watermarking photos into your search bar and you will find lots of helpful information about watermarking, to choose from. If you do try Picasa and enjoy it, please let me know. 

I think watermarking is an excellent idea, particularly for the last reason that Jaci mentioned. But, that said, I don't watermark mine - mostly out of laziness and because unless the watermark runs right through the image, it can almost always be removed. And I don't like running marks through an image.

I do, however, superimpose the Cookie Connection logo, and sometimes my own, on the banners that I send out related to the site or my work, just to reinforce these brands - basically watermarking. I usually locate the logo off to the side of any primary images though. I had a transparent gif/png made of my logo (so it can easily be superimposed without the background of the image showing) and then I just overlay it in Photoshop. There are options to adjust the transparency of any overlaid graphic or imagery in Photoshop. I use it for all of my photo-editing actually - image exposure and color adjustments, image size adjustments, cropping, layout, watermarking, etc.

I agree with Julia. If you place your watermark in any corner, or on the sides of your photo, it can easily be cropped off. The Picasa program offers many fonts to choose from and allows you to position your watermark directly over your photo, so it can not be cropped off. You can also choose outlined letters only, with no color fill, use any font color and make your watermark as transparent or opaque as you desire.

So I think wáter mark is good idea but the Wall or background when you take a picuture should have your logo as well, that make it harder to stole. 

All good information and suggestions on how to watermark or overlay a logo. Thank you for bringing up the subject Jaci and good reasons for it. I use photoshop but don't have it on my new computer, so I go back and forth between the old and the new, so now I have ideas on how to do it from my new computer.

I do watermark my pictures mainly for the first reason Jaci mentioned: so that people know how to trace the cookies back to me if the picture sails away on the internet.

Unfortunately, people who want to steal photos will do it anyway, non-professional watermarks can easily be removed with photoshop. It's like housebreaking: you can make it more or less difficult, but a burglar who really wants to get in your house will do it anyway.

One woman stole one picture from another store, but only people that paid atention to the picture notieced that on the Wall behind the cake was a frame with the logo of the true owner.

I use an overlay at www.picmonkey.com.  It's a free photo editor with alot of options.

My very first photos are not watermarked but since a couple of weeks I have started to do it (for both the reasons Jacinda said). Even if I usually use a professional camera, the photos in a way or an other arrive on my iPhone.... and there are a lot of free apps available at the App Store created exactly for watermarking. In my opinion these apps are quicker than the online program because they remember your watermarks (text or image... which one you prefer, or both). Also you can choose the color and the font, and other useful options. They're very simple and very fast. I tried a couple... iWatermark Free, eZy Watermark and WatermarkPhoto are the more easy and smart...

I also have the transparent watermark, but it's tricky to use without photoshop.;o( I will look into the links. Thank you.
I agree that people will steal your photos if they want them, but most don't. Several will be shared all over the internet and that alone is a good reason to add your Watermark.
Speaking of theft, I actually had my logo stolen. They took out my name and sold the design. Because I always use my logo, it was easily found. I was notified right away and we had them take it down. Having a logo (or watermark) that was associated with my work protected me in the long run. Just another reason to protect yourself.;o)

I watermark my pictures.  A couple of reasons;  one as Jaci said, people love to steal photos and use them as their own.  Also, last year Instagram stated that any photos posted on their social media site are theirs to use.  I figured, go ahead, but you'll have my watermark on them!  Beware of the 'fine print' on social media sites that NONE of us read ... they often give themselves rights to anything you post, which we all agree too, because not only are we too lazy to read their rules and regulations, it's usually too small for me to see!  So I just 'accept'!.   Also, I used to put it through the center but didn't like doing that, so I now put it in the corner but I cover part of the photo with the watermark ... in my own mind I know that they'll have to cut off part of the photo to get rid of it.  I also took Susan Schmitt's (The Painted Cookie) advise, and started using my website as my watermark, not just my name.

I'm a hobby baker and currently don't sell my cookies. But I do post them on FB or a cookie site. Should I still watermark them because maybe one day I will sell them? And with what since I don't have a business...just my name?