You would think I hadn't been paying attention...

[Katy Noelle]

I know that this has been covered before, but, here it is my turn (sort of) and I'd like to know what you suggest.

Remember those cute puppies in the wagon? There is a woman with a large blog who has asked if she can use them on her blog. I trust her but her blog is so big - out in to the wide world they'll inevitably go. (It just happens to even the least of us.) SO! I have no trouble just asking her to put a little credit to me but that will quickly be lost. Should I figure out how to do a "signature" on the photo? I really rather feel like I should. (How does one do one, anyway?) and, also, you know, it's not like they're "great art" or anything. but,....they are mine. I'm sure you understand. What do you think?

Also, btw, I might as well just stick this question in here because I must love chaos or something. How do people take photos from up above looking down? Is there a special tripod? What's it called? Any suggestions for a person who doesn't have one to get a nice and steady shot?

Thanks!

[wilgk]

Well friend what about a border and then your signature in text on that very simple todo in free picnik program or a standard watermark canbedonw in photoshop. I havent done onemyself but so many people so they cannot be too hard? I'm sure someone clever will pop along with a step by stepfor that. In answer to your question in this instance I think you are right and you should watermark these if they are going out in the big wide blog world. As for part 2 I have a step ladder with me most places would that work?

[stevewe88]

Hi Katy
A quick signature on the photo shouldn't cause you too much problem.

Create a text layer
Pick your font, words etc
Pick a colour that stands out from the image but not too much.
Alter the opacity of the layer so that it blends into the image more.
Flatten, save etc.

Regarding taking photos from above, if it is macro or close up then the better, more expensive tripods and heads will do it. You can mount your camera underneath the tripod as well as on top of it.

Alternatively, for landscapes, I find a helicopter is ideal

[Donald]

How do people take photos from up above looking down?

How high up? How far down? In other words, what sort of scenario are you thinking about?

And, yes, I agree with others. Put a little border on the image with a 'copyright Katy Noelle' tag on it. I do my borders in the GIMP so I'm no use whatsoever in telling you how to do it.

[Wirefox]

Katy, I understand your concern that shot is a very usable and desirable image. Steve and Kay have given good advice although basically for net use I would simply provide a small jpeg. It will not stop people using your image but nothing will if they are determined. However of you supply a 600x800 max image (300x400 may do for a blog it depends whether she wants to place it as an editorial image of a feature image) It will be impossible for people to claim as their own. Also make sure the blogger credits you for your image.

By the way (and I checked) you have your Flickr set up so that I can drag your original images direct to my desktop so to be honest people are much more likely to lift that image from flickr than a blog. Make sure you have not enabled creative commons and that you have disabled the 'all sizes' option. You can also set preferences to allow only you to have access to the original. Flickr is a sausage for this and I am only just finding my way round the settings. Nobody will steal my junk but some of the stuff you have on Flickr is generally desirable to bloggers and such.

If you do not have a tripod that allows you to reverse the central column you can sometimes get away with simply splaying the legs and tilting the head right down. It is not ideal but I have used this method with some success.

[Katy Noelle]

Alright! Thank you! This is good advice. Mostly, until now, I've felt that I'm so small and unknown and no one would bother anyway. Several months back, though, someone called it to my attention that one of my photos had wound up in South America (of all places). Thanks, especially, Steve for the observation about my flickr account.

I want to try some still life photos from up above. I'll experiment with some of these ideas. and, duh, a ladder would work well - one that I could lean on (not the step stool that I sometimes use.)

[FrankMi]

Hi Katy, I'm not an expert in these things but I have heard that if you want folks to be able to view your images but not print them, use 72dpi which is perfect for monitor resolution but will not make an acceptable print. If they want to use your image for anything else but viewing on a monitor they'll need to get a higher dpi image from you. You will still want a border signature so that they find out who the photographer is. Can anyone else confirm that this is a reasonable approach?

[Donald]

and, duh, a ladder would work well - one that I could lean on (not the step stool that I sometimes use.)

"Woman found hanging by camera strap from ladder. Beautiful vase of flowers also found at the scene."

[Donald]

By the way (and I checked) you have your Flickr set up

Confession time ........

I'd never been in and about all those set up tabs on Flickr, never mind adjusting them to suit my wishes. Seems that I was open house to anyone who wanted to go in and take a copy of my images (though who would want to?).

So, this has been an enormously helpful thread that's certainly alerted me to the need to check things.

[wilgk]

Hi Katy, I'm not an expert in these things but I have heard that if you want folks to be able to view your images but not print them, use 72dpi which is perfect for monitor resolution but will not make an acceptable print. If they want to use your image for anything else but viewing on a monitor they'll need to get a higher dpi image from you. You will still want a border signature so that they find out who the photographer is. Can anyone else confirm that this is a reasonable approach?

Perfectly reasonable Frank That is what I do for the websites I use, Katy iPhoto may have a setting for you to export at that dpi and size if not photoshop will.

[wilgk]

"Woman found hanging by camera strap from ladder. Beautiful vase of flowers also found at the scene."

Well better to hang from a camera strap securely than to dangle precariously into the cream on the scones

sorry Katy what is the still life going to be of again?

[Katy Noelle]

You guys....

sorry Katy what is the still life going to be of again?

er, not completely sure, yet.

[Katy Noelle]

By the way (and I checked) you have your Flickr set up so that I can drag your original images direct to my desktop so to be honest people are much more likely to lift that image from flickr than a blog. Make sure you have not enabled creative commons and that you have disabled the 'all sizes' option. You can also set preferences to allow only you to have access to the original. Flickr is a sausage for this and I am only just finding my way round the settings. Nobody will steal my junk but some of the stuff you have on Flickr is generally desirable to bloggers and such.

I've always thought that if I had my photos on flickr, I was just 'fair game' so I've been trying to just lay low and hope that no one notices me. Now, however, I've been looking for a good while and can't discover how to change these settings? (I have trouble locating my favorite can of soup on the grocery shelf, too. That's the reason I prefer homemade.)

[purplehaze]

Now, however, I've been looking for a good while and can't discover how to change these settings?

Hi Katy,

Click on "You" and "Your Account" to change Privacy and Permissions.

I just want to say I saw your puppies shot for the first time last night and it is awesome.

Also, my Manfrotto tripod (190PROB) can shoot from above. The centre column can slide up and out horizontally to enable me to shoot straight down. Haven't used it enough to know its limitations, but am pretty happy with it so far.

[Wirefox]

I've been trying to just lay low and hope that no one notices me

You can tell you are a Mac user