What’s the best way to sign or watermark a photograph?

Question

I’d like guidance on the practical side of signing photos, not logo design. Specifically:

- Does a photo signature or watermark need a copyright symbol, year, or the word “Photography”?
- Are there any good guidelines for how large it should be so it doesn’t distract from the image?
- Is there a preferred placement?

I’m interested in both cases: a subtle signature for authorship/branding, and a watermark intended to discourage unauthorized use.

user4390 · Accepted Answer

You hold copyright even without mentioning it, so the copyright symbol, year and "Photography" are only necessary if those are the details you want to stress. I'd use the word "Photography" to give hint that I do photography as business, inquiries welcome.

Size and placement depend on what you want to achieve with the signature. If it's just for acknowledging your authorship, I'd suggest a smallish size and placement in a corner. Try starting out with height around 5% of shorter side of image for a simple one-line signature (such as Nick Miners), or up to 20% if your signature watermark is shaped as a rectangle (such as Jay Lance's).

But if the signature is required to prevent unauthorized use, prefer a larger faint watermark that covers center of the photo - a smaller one in corner is too easy to crop out or "heal". I think signature of Kylli Tedre is a nice example of the latter case, effective and not distracting.

What’s the best way to sign or watermark a photograph?

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