Recently in a blogging forum someone asked if they should or shouldn’t watermark their images on their blog. Up to this point I had always watermarked my images, though I was never fully pleased with how it made my pictures looked. No matter how opaque or tiny I made the mark.
The responses in the forum were interesting!
Many suggested NOT watermarking your images for the following reasons:
- Large Instagram accounts (like Apartment Therapy or Design Sponge) and online magazines will not feature images that are watermarked. It’s not as gorgeous on their feeds (or yours!).
- If you have stated on your website that another site may use your photos so long as they link back to your original post, then you shouldn’t need to watermark in addition to that. (Check out my FAQ page for my image use clause.)
- Your pictures look much more natural and magazine like without watermarks.
- You’ll find that large blogs like Emily Henderson and Oh Happy Day do not watermark any of their images.
Henceforth, I chose to stop watermarking my images. I’m almost tempted to go back and use un-watermarked images in some of my older posts, but since this whole blogging adventure is one of gradual growth and change, I think I’ll just leave them be. Not having to watermark my images during the editing process has definitely saved me some time and sanity in getting new posts together, instagramming images, and submitting projects to bigger sites. Win win win!
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Shelbi says
I’m so glad you posted about this subject! I’ve gone back and forth about it for these same reasons I’ve hated how it looks but didn’t want people to be using my images!
Petite Modern Life says
Glad to give some insight! I’ve heard too that many people who use your images either crop it out or don’t care anyways (crazy people..)
Leigh Anne says
I haven’t watermarked for ages and it’s so FREEING!! It was time consuming and it felt pointless, because people would still take my photos and not use them within my stated guidelines. So I just cut it out. Glad to see others feel the same.
Petite Modern Life says
There is something freeing about it. The images are so much more natural. Also sad that people go to the length to crop out the watermark anyways. Se la Vie