Best way to protect images?

[KsJET]

I posted a photo in one of the gallery forums and received a comment that the copyright notice is terrible. I wasn't sure if the poster was referring to its placement or just the watermark itself, but I do agree. I made a new, smaller watermark and moved it to the corner of the photo.

The problem is, I am very leery of posting pictures of my children on the web. Several years ago a picture of my daughters was stolen and posted on an adult diapering fetish website. Someone found this site and posted a link to it on a parenting forum. A lot of mothers found pictures of their children on this site. :frown: Many of us contacted the FBI and the site was shut down, but I have no idea what happened to the site owner (probably nothing).

My children are my main subject. In order to improve I would like to be able to post photos of them for critique. I don't think my photography is so special that anyone would want to steal the pictures and claim them as their own (maybe some day :Wink: ). But, I do worry about people stealing the pictures to put on inappropriate sites. I realize that anyone can see the pictures and not know who or where the children are, but it was a rather traumatizing experience to find them on a disgusting site.

So, what is the best way to be sure this doesn't happen again? Or is there really no way to avoid it completely? I have the watermark on the pictures, I embed copyright info and I have the image note on in camera that also embeds a copyright. Is there anything else I can/should do? Is there anyone who doesn't ever share photos of their children for this reason?

Thanks for reading this long-winded post! :redface:

 

[Gale]

size them small at 72 dpi and 640x480 and only leave there 24 hours. That may help

If it is on the intenet people think they can steal anything .. I don't post kids on the internet.
To many nutzzzzz out here

 

[dmwphoto]

The only other thing you could do that would have serious teeth is register them with the library of congress copyright office. It really is not hard to do or expensive. The monetary penalties to the offending parties are pretty huge. If you need more info I will try and find a link for you.
I look forward to seeing some of your work and your children.
dave

 

[little big man]

Embed them in Flash - a person has to do a screen capture to try and get the image if it's embedded.

 

[Beezle]

I post images of my family quite often, and there are quite a few on my web site. So far as I know nobody has ever stolen an image from me. But who knows?

But what I do know is that I will never live in fear. If we do that then the worst of us win. How far do you go? Never take your children out in public? That's not a direction I would ever go in. My job is to teach my children how to be a part of that world.

Yes, I would be horrified then dangerously angry if anyone ever tried to exploit my children. But I just can't tolerate a world where good people hide and people with a broken sense of right and wrong ruin it for all.

I would say I am a protective parent, but not a hidden one.

 

[KsJET]

I post images of my family quite often, and there are quite a few on my web site. So far as I know nobody has ever stolen an image from me. But who knows?

But what I do know is that I will never live in fear. If we do that then the worst of us win. How far do you go? Never take your children out in public? That's not a direction I would ever go in. My job is to teach my children how to be a part of that world.

Yes, I would be horrified then dangerously angry if anyone ever tried to exploit my children. But I just can't tolerate a world where good people hide and people with a broken sense of right and wrong ruin it for all.

I would say I am a protective parent, but not a hidden one.

Great points. And I agree. Never posting photos of my children would be the same a never letting them be seen in public I suppose. I want to share my children with the world, but I also want to protect them from the sickos out there.

Thanks for the advice/input so far. :smile:

 

[Beezle]

I also meant to say very sorry to hear you had that happen to you. I can't begin to imagine how upsetting it was.

 

[lexiticus]

Embed them in Flash - a person has to do a screen capture to try and get the image if it's embedded.

actually sothink swf catcher will eliminate any protection from flash embedding, Aswell a lot of other programs do the same thing, All in all without a huge watermark that detracts from the picture nothing is perfectly safe.

I don't really find it a problem myself, I never watermark images cause IMO it makes them look bad, IF someone really wants the (usually 30% sized) digital that badly, then they can have it, I will always have a full resolution backup on my computer if it came down to a copywright fight.

 

[ckdamascus]

The problem is, I am very leery of posting pictures of my children on the web. Several years ago a picture of my daughters was stolen and posted on an adult diapering fetish website.

So, what is the best way to be sure this doesn't happen again? Or is there really no way to avoid it completely? I have the watermark on the pictures, I embed copyright info and I have the image note on in camera that also embeds a copyright. Is there anything else I can/should do? Is there anyone who doesn't ever share photos of their children for this reason?

Sorry for your bad experience. There isn't really a way to stop people from stealing images that are publically viewable. Period. Anyone with moderate technical ability can easily... like candy from a baby, steal your image. If they are determined and somewhat technically capable, they will steal it.

It sounds like your forum was popular for parents and the guy who stole it knew this. You could try to avoid high profile sites, because it's a lot like putting up your kids' pictures on billboards by major highways with a digital image dispenser.