What happen if I photograph items with... "real watermark" over them?

[il.cantuccio.del.collezionista]

Hello all,

the new rule which forbid watermark is really frustrating me. I think I don't have to repeat why since there are many discussion about it in the recently closed section of this forum.  My (past) 6000 listings are slowly closing and before relisting them I would like to have clear one thing: are you (=ebay) REALLY going to forbid watermark also in collectibles categories??? I mean, I don't want to throw MONTHS away and then hearing that you changed your mind because you discovered your policy was not so intelligent (we have been saying it is since weeks!!). Removing watermarks is something bigger than me, it is such a terrible loss of time and money that I am really thinking about leaving your platform. The matter is that it is not possible to do now or in a few time........... and I would like to eat in the meanwhile.

So, I had an idea. If I scan my photos/postcards/antique documents putting over them a label or something like that, is it recognized as a watermark?? It is not a watermark over the photo, but a "real object" that I put in front of the item in order to fobid it is stolen by customers (who actually won't buy it).

Any suggestion would be really really hoped!!

Thank you

[smenkveld]

I was thinking about the same thing with some old photos I need to list. I was going to use 1 or 2 strips of thin paper from the paper shredder to place on top of the photos.

[z50com]

WHY?

eBay can have all of my pictures as I doubt anyone has a used item that looks just like mine. . .

Do you really think eBay can look at all the pictures on the site?

[dhbookds]

Ebay isn't going change their minds......it's Google that's pushing this....

I don't know if what you suggest would work or not.........Of course, you could do all that and then find out they won't show as pictured.....so then the work would be doubled.  Your choice.....

[castlemagicmemories]

I've read that putting a piece of paper with your ebay name, whatever, would be considered a violation.

But I don't know how a plain piece of paper would be viewed.  It isn't taking the place of a watermark in that it holds any info, it is just masking what it is there.

@TEST

Can you provide clarification on the ramifications of doing this?  Thank you for your help, Tyler!

[dosprompt]

How about placing something in the picture to partially distort/obstruct the photo. Thinking a clear plastic frame holder that partially obstructs/distorts, yet a potential buyer could still see the whole thing.  It would have to be done artfully. And by just enough distortion or obstruction, its not worthy of being stolen and republished..

I can see where postcards and celebrity photos, (and other images) could be downloaded and used freely without the watermarks...without a watermark it would be like getting proofs for free, right?

[alcoforever]

I think this whole watermark thing is a tempest in a teapot.   How can ebay possibly enforce it?   I seriously doubt that they have a bot that can distinguish a watermark from shinola.   There are already lots of photos that have had words added to them and they can't enforce that rule either.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

Just place a paper clip or other small object somewhere on the object. A bit of string or a tiny button will do, too. Or try a couple of sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Nothing that obscures an important part of the product, just enough to discourage someone from borrowing the image. ~~C~~

[jonathankirkland]

I guess I'm thickheaded, because I don't understand how adding anything to the photo is going to discourage anyone from stealing it?

If someone really wants to be lazy and steal your photos all they need to do is crop whatever extra thing you add to the photo out of it, unless you somehow clevely obscure what you are selling WITH said item, but then that just gets kind of messy. Unfortunately, I think this is a losing battle.

And I would definitely not underestimate the ability of ebay to develop some kind of shoddy bot-ware that will indeed be able to detect watermarks and start yanking peoples listings down once the policy officially goes into affect... I can already see some sellers coming here once it comes into affect and having hundreds or thousands of their listings pulled and then acting surprised by it because they refuse to abide by the policy...

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

If a foreign object is plunked smack in the middle of a postcard or photograph -- or even on an edge -- it means someone else can't use the image for publication, as a "stock" photo or to make copies for resale.

A better solution is to photograph or scan the image at an angle -- not squared up. Or sell 2 or more related items per listing and overlap them in the main photo. What are the chances another seller would own the exact same items?

~~C~~

[jonathankirkland]

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@duchess-at-speakeasy wrote:
If a foreign object is plunked smack in the middle of a postcard or photograph -- or even on an edge -- it means someone else can't use the image for publication, as a "stock" photo or to make copies for resale.

A better solution is to photograph or scan the image at an angle -- not squared up. Or sell 2 or more related items per listing and overlap them in the main photo. What are the chances another seller would own the exact same items?

~~C~~

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I can agree it may be some what of a deturrent, but some people who are lazy will still steal images no matter what you do. Especially scammers.

[chrysylys]

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@duchess-at-speakeasy wrote:
Just place a paper clip or other small object somewhere on the object. A bit of string or a tiny button will do, too. Or try a couple of sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

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'Course then you have to send those with the widget, cuz you know, nothing in the picture that isn't part of the deal and all ....

And then sending seeds to California can be a different issue.

T'were it up to me if I were one of the Powers That Be, I'd have gone the other way and set an automatic utility to imprint the User ID on all uploaded images, maybe even with a date stamp.

[18704d]

"A better solution is to photograph or scan the image at an angle -- not squared up."

------

Photoshop, and a free alternative, GIMP

can easily correct that angled image back to normal.

I'm wonder if a seller cannot simply add 5 or 6 pennies on top of the photo before it's scanned

so no one can right-click and get a good copy to print themselves?

(of course it'll be said, that now you must send 6 pennies to the buyer along with the photo)

Lynn

[18704d]

So perhaps cut out 2 or 3 half dollar size pieces of black construction paper

and put them over key parts of the image?

Lynn

[femmefan1946]

Presuming that you keep your pictures and the like in clear archival protectors, and scan them in the protectors, could the protectors have a semi-transparent logo on them?

Being a technodolt,I put two strips of 'magic' tape on the protector and signed the upper one with my name.

Too easy? Too hard?