UniversalUsername asks: “How do you feel about watermarks? And do you use them?”
Watermarks can be a touchy subject. Some photographers HATE watermarks on images and feel that they should NEVER be used.
Some photographers use watermarks as an anti-theft measure when posting their photos online.
I think trying to prevent theft with a watermark is a wasted effort, because an internet thief determined to steal your image is going to steal it, regardless of the watermark.
And you might think that using a giant, obnoxious watermark to “protect” your image will stop that thief, but the truth is, it won’t.
Giant Watermark Anyone?
So I don’t watermark to prevent theft. That’s not to say you should ignore possible image theft, just that watermarking is a poor deterrent.
Instead, I use watermarks to brand my images, so that when I share them, and as they get shared around the internet, people can see my logo and find out more about me if they want to.