OMI + Water Marks

Toni Adigun's OMI performed at Sadler's Wells Breakin' Convention 2012
Toni Adigun’s OMI performed at Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention
(c) Carole Edrich 2012

After long consideration I’ve decided to tone down the watermark on my photographs and; apart from on facebook, will instead clearly show the copyright beside the image as well as in the metadata (I already do the latter).

It’s a big decision. As big as the decision to watermark my images in the first place (which I did because I was fed up with the regularity with which they were stolen). It’s not because I’ve suddenly decided to give images away for free. Photography is still the way I earn a living, and using any of my shots in whole or part without my express written permission (in advance) is still theft and I will prosecute.

Toni Adigun's OMI performed at Sadler's Wells Breakin' Convention 2012

Toni Adigun’s OMI performed at Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention
(c) Carole Edrich 2012

Image searching (particularly with Google Images and tineye) has become more sophisticated. The routes to reclaiming value and compensation from copyright theft have become better established. As a result the time I used to spend on the proactive protection such as watermarking (which to be useful must to an extent interfere with the images) can be better and more profitably used to chase those who use my images without permission.

Do you think I’m right? Let me know. As ever I’ll share relevant thoughts on this blog.

Toni Adigun's OMI performed at Sadler's Wells Breakin' Convention 2012
Toni Adigun’s OMI performed at Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention
(c) Carole Edrich 2012

I’ve not shown these images before. Although they’re good as far as they go, I was working right to the edge of the camera’s capabilities and I don’t like the resulting low light artifacts.