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Yesterday we looked at the why behind adding a watermark to your digital photos. Today we’re going to jump into the how. Before everybody gets too upset with me, I’m going to preface this post with this comment: I’m Dave, and I’m an Adobe-holic. There are so many great digital editing software packages out there on the market, but I choose to use Adobe products because I was trained on them, and I like them. I couldn’t possibly learn exactly how to use each and every post processing software suite, nor do I have a the resources or time. Therefore, for the purposes of the following tutorials I am going to be demonstrating watermarking techniques using Photoshop and Lightroom. While the processes I show you may need to be modified (depending on which software you are using), many of you who are proficient with your own choice of editing software will be able to follow along just fine and apply these techniques as they apply to your post processing software. Enough with the disclaimers, let’s get to the good stuff!
As we talked about yesterday, there are different ways to watermark your digital photos along with the different reasons for why you would want to. By now I’m hoping that many of you have considered how a watermark should (or should not) be used in your own photography. So, rather than doing a traditional step-by-step tutorial, I thought I would break this up into parts. These parts will be more like building blocks to allow you to come up with the best solution which is tailored to your own work. Doing it this way may also introduce you to techniques you can use outside of watermarking; wouldn’t that be cool?
Last thing before we get down to business here… The one of the upcoming tutorials in the watermarking series will be on automation. For now, we’re going to start with the basic foundation on how to create a watermark, and we’ll finish up the series with how to automate the process in Photoshop.
The next step in this process is to create your watermark as a separate image file (or files) – with a transparent background. Doing this will ensure more consistency in your watermark’s position and size with respect to your digital photos for the web. Start by creating a new image document, with ridiculously large, square dimensions. You want to choose dimensions larger than any image file that your camera will output, and I’ll explain why in just a second. I created mine on a 6000 x 6000 pixel, 300dpi document, larger than any image my camera will produce. Read the whole story »
At some point in every digital photographer’s journey there comes a point where we are faced with the question: To watermark, or not to watermark? The decision on whether to add a digital watermark over your beautiful photos is a personal one, but of course there are pros and cons (call them “consequences” if you will), regardless of which side of the fence you sit on. I have a very firm stance on my personal watermarking belief system, but I’ll get to in a little bit…
For those of you who are beginners to digital photography, you have probably heard the term before, but perhaps some clarification is needed. A watermark is simply a graphical or text element which has been overlaid onto your image. You have probably seen a photographer’s name, website, or email address added to the bottom corner of an image before. This is a watermark! Or more accurately, this is a type of watermark as there are several ways to watermark your digital photos.
As I was saying, the decision to add a digital watermark to your photos is largely personal, but there are some real benefits to doing so. Watermarking an image is a digital process which should be one of the last steps in your processing workflow. Typically, you will only want to add a watermark to images which you are sharing online. If you are selling or making personal prints, there is little use for a watermark other than to add the effect of a “signature” similar to what painters do with their works. But for the average photographer shooting family portraits, weddings, or personal photography, keeping a watermark out of your prints is the most likely scenario for the majority of us. It’s when you share your images online with the world that you’ll want to be very “aware” of your watermarking strategy. Let’s have a look at the most popular reasons for this essential step in your digital post-processing. Read the whole story »
Question: How can I find a photography agency to work for, who will get my work out there by representing me?
Answer: Great question! Actually, there are two equally important answers to this question. Finding a photography agency to represent you and your work requires both the skill of learning how to market and present yourself, as well as learning exactly how to source out the right agency for you. Naturally, the specifics on how to do all this will ultimately be different for each individual. We all have different strengths to play to, different genres of photography we enjoy shooting, and a wide range of geographic considerations. Hopefully the following tips can lead you in the right direction to finding the best agency suited for you.
If you are interested in becoming a professional photographer, marketing yourself is going to be the most important skill you can have (even more important than the great quality of your photos). First, people have to be able to locate you easily. Second, they have to be able to effortlessly have access to viewing your work.
If you want to put yourself “out there,” then the quickest and most cost effective way is to make sure you have your own website. Not only does it instill a sense of professional reputation for your potential agency, it also puts you on a more level playing field to all of the other professionals who have their web galleries going for them. If possible, I strongly recommend setting up your own web gallery with your name as the domain name. Sometimes this may not be possible if you have a popular name such as “John Smith,” and you’ll have to get creative in this case.
If you have no experience in creating websites, it really doesn’t have to be difficult. There are some great web hosting companies like 1and1, Bluehost, etc.. which offer pre-made photo gallery templates for your site; all you have to do is upload your photography. Also, if you are a Photoshop, Lightroom, or Photoshop Elements user, these programs now have built in photo-gallery website creation tools built-in. It’s become as easy as choosing a template and picking the photos you would like to showcase on your website. The software creates a folder containing all of the website code, structure, and files, then you simply upload it to your web hosting service.
At the very least, if you do not wish to have your own website (as an aspiring professional, I can’t imagine why not!), there are some great free services you can use such as free sites like Flickr for photo-sharing. However, you are going to present a more professional impression by having your own website.
One of the things which many people neglect these days is maintaining a traditional portfolio. “What’s that?” you say… Prints in a digital world?! There is a huge beneficial “wow” factor when presenting physical prints of your work in a nicely bound portfolio. Now days, most photographers direct potential employers to their website, which is good, but lacks a real personal touch. Giving a potential employer something tangible to see and feel will help you to leave a more lasting impression. It also demonstrates that you know what you are doing when it comes to both photography and PRESENTATION.
Remember, there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of aspiring professionals also looking to get hired. You can’t presume that your great work is any better than theirs, but you can give yourself a leg-up on them by not only selling your work, but also selling yourself. Before you can even do that much, you’ve got to find an agency to sell yourself to!
This will be the most challenging step in getting hired. Agencies are typically highly competitive, but that shouldn’t discourage you. There is a need for photographers in all genres and at all levels of experience too. Some agencies may be after high-end, fine art photographers who’s work they can sell in the tens of thousands of dollars, while other agencies may need more affordable work such as shots for non-profit agency brochures.
Of course, you should keep an eye on the local job websites and places like Monster.com or Workopolis.com, but there is also something positive to be said for “pounding the pavement.” By that, I mean actually going out and making calls, or visiting the human resources departments of companies you would like to shoot for. I work with many photographers who do professional work for companies that they approached, and these were companies who were not even hiring at the time. Many organizations are happy to hire freelance photographers as jobs arise, especially if you are willing to do good work and prove your reliability to them. Always keep resumes on hand!
Ultimately, you can seek out and keep applying to agencies to hire you. Once you are hired, you will work for them when projects arise. However, if you are willing to try putting yourself out there and approaching the types of companies who would normally hire out from an agency, you may find that you are your own best agent!
Thanks for the question, and good luck in your search. Until next time, happy photographing!
Amazing job on the previous (cups) assignment to all of those who participated! Just in time for the weekend, we’ve posted our latest photo assignment to the forums which runs until Aug 17th. If you are wondering why you should participate in these photo-assignments, here’s why! In our efforts to help photographers grow and improve, our photography assignments are designed to test and push your creative bounds to the limit. These photo assignments are intended to encourage our members to see the world in different ways, try new camera techniques, and photograph subject which you may normally shy away from. We feel that in doing this, you will ultimately find new challenges for yourself which will help us to all grow as photographers.
Our photography assignments are open to everyone at all skill levels and are to be submitted through our assignments section in the PhotographyBB Forums. Membership is completely free and you can register in seconds, so feel free to join our community of photographers where we participate in assignments, share photos, and discuss photography all day long! Now, onto your next photo assignment…
Assignment #41 Theme: Spin
Timeframe: Aug 6th to Aug 17th, 2010
The challenge is to take a BRAND NEW showing the theme: Spin
Entries are to be submitted here: Assignment 41: Spin (PhotographyBB Forums)
For this assignment we will accept a photo of anything that spins, although it is not necessary for the object to be spinning in the photo. Remember everything you all have been learning to this point – tell us a story with your photo!
Important: With all of our photo assignments, the object (besides having fun) is to learn something new, even if that means learning how to see the world around you in a different way. Therefore, we only accept entries for new photos which have been taken during the assignment time frame (see above). You may submit up to 3 entries in total, and the top 3 photos will be selected and published (with image acknowledgments) in an upcoming issue of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine.
Everyone is welcome to participate. We have a supportive and friendly community of photographers and beginners, and this is a great way to get to know one another. Have fun, and happy photographing!
