MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => Shutterstock.com => Topic started by: Jo Ann Snover on July 14, 2017, 11:54
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https://www.shutterstock.com/contributorsupport/articles/kbat02/000012560 (https://www.shutterstock.com/contributorsupport/articles/kbat02/000012560)
Received email with a link to this blog post this morning.
I looked at the preview of the image they used in the article and it doesn't appear to have the new features - the contributor name included in the watermark. Two images I had approved late last night didn't have the new watermark (that I could see) so they appear not to be including it in new approvals yet
I have posted in the thread on the Shutterstock forum asking for two examples of the new preview watermark - one over white and one with a darker all-over image - so we can check it out. Sounds like a great idea, but given the history with their preview "improvements" I want to see an example.
Anyone else see the new individualized preview watermark?
Edited to add that a reply in the SS forum from another contributor pointed out that the reduced preview image in the article does have the new watermarking even though the live preview doesn't. I zoomed my browser to 250% and I could then see the contributor name in the watermark. It appears the watermark hasn't changed much beyond inserting "by contributor name" along one of the diagonal lines. Still need to see some 1500 pixel examples though.
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Funny, just a few days ago we wrote about stock media (http://video-stock.org/stock-footage-used-as-funny-meme/) being used in various memes, but with no data of the source file. If they are used with no permission, they would at least get some free promotion for source files. We don't even want to know how many illegal abuses are present on world wide web.
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Anyone else see the new individualized preview watermark?
Nope
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When will my images be updated?
We are updating the entire Shutterstock collection gradually. Your existing images may not all be processed at the same time.
How specifically is this new watermark providing enhanced protection?
The new watermark is slightly different on each image, and will credit contributors in the design.
Because the watermark on each image is unique, it helps protect against potential attempts to develop technologies that remove watermarks at large scale.
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They need to backfill every images, so I think it’ll take a few weeks for it to propagate to their entire collection.
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Any time someone posts an example of a way to get "free" SS downloads, we ALL need to forward to Shutterstock. It's very very very important that we let them know that sites like that exist.
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I just noticed they lowered the quality of the previews, they look out of focus :|
The contributor support confirmed that this is an anti-theft measure.
Now the clients would think that the images are of low quality.
Another brilliant way to kill the sales :(
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I just noticed they lowered the quality of the previews, they look out of focus :|
The contributor support confirmed that this is an anti-theft measure.
Now the clients would think that the images are of low quality.
Another brilliant way to kill the sales :(
Well, if SS presents the anti-theft measure to buyers correctly, they will know that the final image they buy is in focus. If they buy it and have a problem, they should instantly be able to take care of the problem with support. Hopefully SS still at least provides support for customers.
I am glad to see they are finally addressing the theft problem. It might not be a perfect solution, but will there ever be?
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I just noticed they lowered the quality of the previews, they look out of focus :|
The contributor support confirmed that this is an anti-theft measure.
Now the clients would think that the images are of low quality.
Another brilliant way to kill the sales :(
I think the quality of the previews is low only for images that were uploaded after they introduced preview. Images, that were uploaded before that look good. At leas that was the case few months ago.
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That's correct but all the images will get the new watermark treatment.
Until they manage to do all the images in the database, all the new images will have blurred previews. The clients would see blurred previews next to sharp old ones :|
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I have just noticed that some of my images, not all, have already the new watermark with my user name.
I like it :)
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I just noticed they lowered the quality of the previews, they look out of focus :|
The contributor support confirmed that this is an anti-theft measure.
Now the clients would think that the images are of low quality.
Another brilliant way to kill the sales :(
And if they are clear then you'll complain they are too good and can be copied and used. No winning no matter what they do.
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Yes. I see some of my images have the new watermark. I like it too. And my images don't seem blurry at all.
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I just noticed they lowered the quality of the previews, they look out of focus :|
The contributor support confirmed that this is an anti-theft measure.
Now the clients would think that the images are of low quality.
Another brilliant way to kill the sales :(
Resize your browser window.
(The images are 1500 pixels large, but they adapt to the window size)
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Shutterstock hasn't finished updating previews yet (at least I have a number of images, of all ages, that have "old" previews) but I have been able to check a variety of image types and what I see is that the new watermark is an improvement.
Looking at overall dark images and those with white backgrounds, both have noticeably more "marks" over the image. Not sure if this was just a side effect of them putting a name into the mix or something they wanted to do, but it's noticeable. I haven't found an example where anything is worse than it was before :)
I have three versions of watermarked previews for a sample of items from my portfolio - v1 was the white bottom border, v2 the dark gray and now v3 is personalized with dark gray border.
Edited to add: I did look at the amount of blurriness in the new previews compared to (a) the old previews and (b) my original images, scaled down to 1500 pixels on the long edge. It is very easy to see how much they've blurred the preview if you look at an image with lots of edges at 200% or higher. At 100% it's really hard to see that there is a difference and I'd guess a buyer would not rely on a zoomed in look of a watermarked preview that they know is scaled down.
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I don't know how they apply these new watermarks, but I have noticed that some of them are really "wavy"
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I don't know how they apply these new watermarks, but I have noticed that some of them are really "wavy"
Which is a good thing. No watermark is the same which makes it harder for auto-removal tools to properly do their job.
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NONE of mine seem to have the new watermark yet. Looks like not only am I forgotten by the Photo Sales Division but also Watermarking..... ???
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I like the new watermark with my username in it. Brilliant idea from Shutterstock!
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I like the new watermark with my username in it. Brilliant idea from Shutterstock!
Only on new at first, now I see the new with my name on best sellers. Nice move SS.
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Mine Look the same. sure am seeing a Lot of folks using My B&W portraits for inspiration it seems. LOL Thats fine.
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Mine Look the same. sure am seeing a Lot of folks using My B&W portraits for inspiration it seems. LOL Thats fine.
Maybe they are inspired by those made by Andrzej Dragan…
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good call, difference is his images have normal skin color
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https://petapixel.com/2017/08/18/ai-can-easily-erase-photo-watermarks-heres-protect/
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they look out of focus :|
Now the clients would think that the images are of low quality.
They already know that most of the images are low quality - except for the folks on this site :)
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https://thenextweb.com/google/2017/08/21/google-shutterstock-watermark-stock-photo/#.tnw_uT0DWO1x
Shutterstock's warped watermarks plus inclusion of contributor name defeat automated watermark removal