A while ago at
Wakeen Photography, we made the decision that all photos that get released over the web will have a watermark on them. This is not a new practice by any means. Many photographers, particularly wedding and portrait photographers, have embraced it for some time. However, there's been some debate about whether or not it's appropriate for all social media platforms. Is the watermark necessary? Or are we just being a bit paranoid?
To begin with, we should clarify that this does
not apply to photos that get published in a magazine, or that go into an album or high-resolution files that we deliver to clients. It simply applies to photos that will be published in one capacity or another on the World Wide Web-- whether on our own blog, submissions to other blogs, or the web-ready files we send to clients.
But why the heightened concern? The reality is that by putting one's photos on the internet, they become "public territory." They may start out on our blog or another's such as
Style Me Pretty, but the photos are very often re-posted elsewhere, may go into inspiration galleries, and are found on sites like Pinterest, etc. Although most bloggers and sites are diligent about photo credits, there are some that aren't. There's also been a growing number of "photo pirates" out there who have used our (and other photographers’) work as their own, which is a mutually harmful practice, both for the original photographer and also for the clients.
As photographers, we are responsible to our clients. Not only are we entrusted to document their very important day, but also to respect their privacy and identity. Having a watermark on the image severely lessens the probability of the image being stolen or misappropriated.
Having met the two of them a couple months earlier at Bocado Tapas Wine Bar in Worcester for a 'get-to-know-you', we discovered we shared a common love of red wines and savory food, so an Argentinian malbec and some sharp cheese just had to be part of the day's mix!
