Technology has advanced so much that anything can be available to you with a click- including images. There are a few ways in which you can protect your images and ensure you are getting the necessary compensation. A few ways are listed below:
1) Make sure to be selective with what and how you post
This is the first and foremost way to be sure that you are protected. You want to be sure that no one takes your pictures. One way to do this is by limiting the resolution of the pictures you post. This makes it much harder for the person who is trying to copy your work to actually do so. You may also turn your social media feed into hints about what you are shooting. It encourages whoever is looking at it to view the final work. Maybe take snapshots of what you are going to show.
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2) Share from a service
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There are a couple of services that help improve the watermark. One of these includes a site called Stipple. Instead of sharing a photo directly, you share a Stipple link. What is good about a Stipple link is that you have to certify that you are the owner of the image but you also get access to who has viewed it and where it has travelled. You can have viewers be linked back to your portfolio or even allow them to order prints! The only downside is that you are likely to get less engagement. It is slower to download and they are displayed smaller on the newsfeed.
3) Use image search engines
Tineye is not like another other search engine. You search by uploading a file that its technology then analyzes. It compares your file to its database of images. It returns with anything that it has that is identical. It is better at indexing web sites than social-media sites. But it is good to at least track some places where your images are going as well as where you need to request compensation.
4) Watermark
This is the easiest way to protect your image. Most post-processing software has it as well as some apps. Like anything else, there are some cons to this as well. Watermarking diminishes the appeal of the image. You are also counting on the viewer to enter your name or URL manually to look at your work.
