My Watermark

Forgive my ranting but this must be said.

Many of you may have noticed that most of my work have watermarks on them.

They look a little like the one across there and may vary from that to my name or even just my initials. Contrary to popular belief, it's not there for me to get popular or because I'm vain. Those watermarks are the only things linking my photography back to me after the final product is published into the public. They are the easiest way to promote my business(not myself) when I do jobs....and free jobs at it.

Over the past year I've had people ask me to come cover their parties and to do photo shoots for promotion in return. Ignoring the need for promotion, I took up the offers as they gave me something I viewed as a bit more critical in my progress as a freelance photographer, experience. With experience I've learnt so much more than what probably a classroom would offer.

Anyhow, after all the hours labouring, in most cases hot sun, and hard work behind a monitor in post processing(yes photography as easy as it seems is bloody hard work), certain individuals see it fit to crop out my watermark and disregard everything I've done. Whether it be printed in The Guardian or just posted as a profile picture, it still affects the photographer when you remove his "touch".

Think of it as pulling off the three stripes on an adidas sneaker or plucking the tick off a nike bag. Other people can see it and like it as much as they want, but they wont know who made it or where to get one.

Now there are cases where I don't mind if my watermark is removed. Those cases involve YOU asking ME....DIRECTLY! For example, a couple days ago I was approached by a local music who asked me to cover his concert a couple months back. He wanted to use one of the photos I took in a newspaper/magazine article but the watermark was being a nuisance for the paper, so I thought about it for a moment and we compromised. I removed the watermark and asked him to make sure that I was given credit for the photo in the article.


PS. Spelling my name wrong in credits is annoying but it isnt nearly as bad as cropping me out and omitting the fact that I did the photography. So everyone, kindly do me a favour and not remove my watermark, and if you still see it impossible to do, link the photo back to my blog(here) or my facebook page(here).

Thanks for reading.



Joshua Brizan
JBphotography/SnapShutters