Just for Beginners, post your questions, ask for help, get opinions...
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I am planning to take some prom pictures and have a pckgage deal in mind for one pose. But I plan to take a few more poses and give the individuals options to purchase additional poses if they so desire. I am new to this and was thinking the most cost effective way to do this would be to print the pose in the option and burn the other pictures to a cd for the individual to view but my question is how do I prevent them from copyong the cd or taking the cd and print the pics themselves? Any input would be appreciated.
The short answer is that it will be next to impossible to prevent someone from printing pictures you supply them on a CD/DVD, or from copying it. It is possible that if they take it to someone to print, and the lab recognizes the photos as being shot by a professional, they may not print them without having a signed release allowing them to print. But I wouldn't count on that. If I was doing a paid shoot, and supplying my customers with anything, they will pay for anything they get. Unless I am choosing to give them something. But if you hand over a CD/DVD, rest assured, they will do whatever they want with it. So if you plan on doing that, I would charge them for it. And it wouldn't be cheap!
GeneVH

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Nothing is completely foolproof. But, you can mark the images that makes it difficult to make unauthorized prints.
Proof Images.jpg
Proof Images.jpg (127.28 KiB) Viewed 5095 times

Put your text in white. Add a copyright symbol [ © ] if you like.
Simplify the layer(s).
Add a bevel to the text/symbol.
Change the blend mode of those layers to Multiply.

As you can see here, the image remains visible under the text.

Rusty
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness" - Dave Barry

If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough. - Robert Capa

www.prestophoto.com/photos/gallery/19932
I believe many studios have you view the photos with them, on their premises. You get to look at the photos, but not take them away with you. In the digital age, they can do it immediately after taking the photos, no waiting, no separate appointment.

I like Rusty's "proof" watermark. I would also suggest that if you hand over images on a cd that you make sure those images are low-res and small. That way if they are printed, they will not look very good. Better yet, if your customers want to take proofs with them, print them, with the "proof" watermark, instead of giving them any files.

Courtney
Thanks! I think I will opt to print with the "proof" text on it.
Teresa, I forgot to emphasize...
before you do this work, make a new file of images ... a COPY of all your good ones. Do this marking stuff on those images. This prevents you from inadvertently saving that marked up image on top of your original. After you flatten this image and save it as a Jpeg, it will totally screw up your original unless you always remember to "Save as" with a new name or, as I suggest here, work with a duplicate folder of images.

Rusty
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness" - Dave Barry

If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough. - Robert Capa

www.prestophoto.com/photos/gallery/19932
Having done this very thing with horse show photos for several years, I can give you a couple of ideas. One possibility is to download onto your computer immediately and let them choose their photo on the spot. This requires a helper usually, but you don't risk having your photos copied that way.. The option that I like to use is an on-line sales service. After the prom, upload your photos to one of these services and request a proof or watermark on all photos. The folks from the prom can go to that web site, choose their photo(s) and purchase the package they want. I like the service I use because I don't have to worry about the money end of things and I don't risk someone copying the photos. I've tried to copy them myself from the site and it just shuts me out and won't let that happen. After the purchase is made, the company I use then sends the order information. I print the photos and get them in the mail. When I mark the order "shipped" the company sends me a check. Of course, they take a small commission, but I don't have to worry about someone giving me a bad check or just not paying. Had that happen a time or two. Good luck with your prom shoot. That should be a lot of fun.
Weez
Thanks Rusty and everyone else who replied for your advice. I hate to sound so stupid but I can not figure out how to place this on my pics. The only thing I can figure out is to add the text and decrease the opacity but I like the way yours looks much better. First how do you make the copyright symbol? I do not understand what you mean by Simplify the layers. I thought I added a bevel but apparently did not. I guess I do not know how to do that either. Also when I change the mode to multiply my text disappeared. I have Photoshop Elements 9. Thank you so much. You all have helped me with many things during my learning process.
Hopefully, I can help you with part of this one. After you have your font selected, place the cursor where you want to begin your watermark. Hold down ALT and type 0,1,6,9. Those are the Windows keystrokes to get the copyright symbol. You may have to play around with a few different fonts because some just won't work with this technique. Good luck with your project.
Teresa, your text disappeared because you did not add a bevel to the text.

When you select Multiply the layer is only going to show the dark part of the image. Your text is white, nothing is dark, thus ... all the text disappears. But, when you add a bevel, that beveled part of the text is dark. So, it shows. What you are really doing is hiding most of the text (the white part) and showing only the darker bevel and ending up with what looks like a ghost outline.

Truth be told, i'm not even sure if simplify is required here. This is something I routinely do with text and shape layers. In your layer stack get the proper layer highlighted. Right-click and then select simplify layer. Or you can just blunder along doing whatever and wait to see if you get a pop-up telling you can't do whatever because the layer must be first simplified. The pop-up will then ask if you want to simplify the layer. Click "yes" and it's done.

The copyright symbol [ © ] is also one of the Elements shapes. You might have to look around to find it. It is inside the sub-menu named "symbols". If the text font you have selected doesn't support this character, then Alt-0169 isn't going to work; you'll have to use the shape. If you do try to use the ASCII character codes, you must have Num Lock engaged and must use the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard. The #s across the top row won't work.

Rusty

Rusty

PS - you don't sound stupid at all, you would laugh out loud to hear many of the Qs I was asking when starting out.
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness" - Dave Barry

If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough. - Robert Capa

www.prestophoto.com/photos/gallery/19932
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