I have looked around the forum and couldn't find a sutible topic. So here it is.

When I look into SS, DT, Fotolia, etc, at the images, I see the companies watermark in  the  image. I understand why this. When a photographer uploads his stock  photos, should they keep out their own watermark?

When I upload to social sites such as FB and Flickr, I add a watermark to the image. I do that for a reason.

So what is the etiquette here? What should I  keep in mind when uploading photos to Stock companies?

Thanks, Erich

Read the instructions about submissions on each site. You will see that they all tell you not to watermark, add borders, etc.

Only, One big Problem. Anyone with even a small understanding Of Photoshop can remove a watermark in seconds. I know I can. and have proven it many times. There useless to prevent theft....USELESS. And theres been programs around for years than can upsize anything to amazing results.

right.

First, watermarks are not so easily removed, as you may think, it depends on the details in the picture.
Im a fairly advanced photoshopper, and I can imagine the amount of cloneworks and details teleportations it would require.
Second, images cannot be enlarged, not without a loss of details.

But as above mentioned, the watermarks are there, to remind people that the image is copyrighted, so that they cannot claim in court, that they did not know.
Also, who would cheat? Yes thieves would, but it is not thieves we are in business with. It simply does not pay for a decent image consumer to run the risk of not doing things legally, considering the price of the images.

Bloggers maybe, shooting clubs and used car dealers would maybe take the effort to steal a picture. But they are irellevant since they random customers.

It simply does not pay for a decent image consumer to run the risk of not doing things legally, considering the price of the images.

Well you would think. But it is extraordinary the degree of umbrage people express about having received a demand for money.

Granted sometimes they just did not understand. Or the guy who did their web page was responsible but is long gone. But a typical argument when presented with a bill is to argue that they could download something very similar (in their opinion) from some microstock site for pennies (and yet they did not).

Many people would rather pay for a lawyer to write letters for them.

Every stock company should have different guidelines pertaining to this issue in particular. Not really sure of the whole etiquette aspect of this however unfortunately.

Not seconds maybe but can be done in a few minutes but a non-super advanced photoshop user I would think

Some businesses don't even bother about removing the watermarks. I've found photos of mine from iS being used commercially with the full old watermark untouched, as well as part-removed (the diagonal lines were still there though the main part was removed).

A member here showed me adverts he'd seen lifted from his Flickr stream (which he totally removed shortly afterwards). He had disabled right-click saved, put a big copyright watermark over the photos and a copyright notice in the description. And the files were being used with his big copyright mark in web advertisements. I saw these myself, not just hearsay.

And besides once a file has sold and is used on the web, it's there for the lifting, with no watermark, and usually no right-click disable or any indication where it has come from.

Do you guys know who makes more money than anyone  with our copyrights, That includes music and film? The wireless carriers thats who. 60 Billion Last year alone from "Peer to peer" File sharing. trillions of Images,Trillions of copyrighted songs,Films,TV shows are being sent every day. Who gets paid? No one except the wireless carriers. I was a big part of a Lawsuit 2 years ago because I own Lots of copyrights for My Music. Over 400TV shows and 30 feature films along with 400+ songs that were successful. We get nothing. The carriers get everything in fees. Watermarks? for stock Images....Plaaaaeeze. Small potatoes. I've been fighting this for 15 years and Were losing Big Time and the game is basically Over.

Forget your Images, There gone guys.Bitching on this or any other site is useless. 10 years to late, Just Like commissions and owning what we do. Sorry. "TRUTH"