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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> Invisible Watermarks for nasty clients
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07/13/2009 02:16:32 PM · #1
ok, i have a client right now who has already told me that if he buys a cd of his senior photos from me(very low res btw) he is printing them no matter what i say. i told him that that is very assholey of him and that they are going to be very small if he prints them, but he still says hes going to so that he doesnt have to spend his $$ with me.

is there an easy program that can let me put an invisible watermark on the photos he buys(if he buys them) so that when he prints they become all nasty and unusable? oh, and i need something that can be locked permanently and in a tricky way, because he has very geeky friends who may have sneaky ways of deleting the watermark.

oh, and is this a good way of dealing with the problem? any other ideas are welcome
07/13/2009 02:18:24 PM · #2
Give him his money back and tell him to go screw himself!
07/13/2009 02:20:54 PM · #3
Not really. Tell him you don't support violating Federal Law, and you'll not be a accessory to his intended felonies. Just don't sell him any pictures on disc.

You might also have someone listen on a phone extension and get him to repeat his intent so that you have a witness.
07/13/2009 02:21:27 PM · #4
Originally posted by rodneyg:

Give him his money back and tell him to go screw himself!


hasnt paid me yet:/ he got a deal where if he made his app before tomorrow he didnt have a sitting fee. i know, stupid idea
07/13/2009 02:22:43 PM · #5
Originally posted by GeneralE:

Not really. Tell him you don't support violating Federal Law, and you'll not be a accessory to his intended felonies. Just don't sell him any pictures on disc.

You might also have someone listen on a phone extension and get him to repeat his intent so that you have a witness.


sounds intimidating since he just turned 18. what is the Federal Law you are speaking of
07/13/2009 02:24:09 PM · #6
I would DEFINATELY refuse to sell him anything. You print 'em, he's gonna scan them. You put em on a cd, regardless, and he will print them. I wouldnt give him a thing.
07/13/2009 02:24:21 PM · #7
Did you specify the size and resolution of the pictures on CD's?
If not, then you can certainly make them small and of low resolution (72dpi or less).

They won't print for crap, and you can then laugh when he complains ;)
07/13/2009 02:24:59 PM · #8
Originally posted by shanksware:

Did you specify the size and resolution of the pictures on CD's?
If not, then you can certainly make them small and of low resolution (72dpi or less).

They won't print for crap, and you can then laugh when he complains ;)


that was the plan. with 600 on the longest side
07/13/2009 02:25:45 PM · #9
Well, sounds like he doesn't have a deal anymore.

You could offer him your special "print it yourself" package:

sitting fee: free
CD (one copy): $5
Images on CD: $5,000/each

Message edited by author 2009-07-13 14:26:28.
07/13/2009 02:26:33 PM · #10
Originally posted by GeneralE:

Well, sounds like he doesn't have a deal anymore.

You [u]could offer him your special "print it yourself" package:
sitting fee: free
CD (one copy): $5
Images on CD: $5,000/each


heh heh heh, i love it:)
07/13/2009 02:27:16 PM · #11
I agree with those who say "just don't do business with him." You have the right to refuse his business. Some customers are not worth the trouble.
07/13/2009 02:28:43 PM · #12
oh, and i should throw out there that he only wants to spend $50. what an asshole, he makes $400 a week(he brags about it all the time). the only reason he thinks i should be that cheap( and i sure as hell am not) is because his older brother had their neighbor do his photos for $50. its very irritating having this going on
07/13/2009 02:29:59 PM · #13
Originally posted by kirbic:

I agree with those who say "just don't do business with him." You have the right to refuse his business. Some customers are not worth the trouble.


he is friends with every one of my other potetial clients. i dont need him pulling a douche move and badmouthing me to everyone(word of mouth is my main form of advertisement). but i understand what you are saying, and i really am considering it

Message edited by author 2009-07-13 14:30:25.
07/13/2009 02:30:51 PM · #14
Originally posted by LadyK:

hasnt paid me yet:/ he got a deal where if he made his app before tomorrow he didnt have a sitting fee. i know, stupid idea

What will he pay for? The CD only then (since he said not buying prints)? How much for the CD are your charging others?

Do you print anything on the CD's when you make them (CD imaging)? Make sure you have a line that says something like "Copyright of all images are held by the photographer - ". Many reputable places to get quality prints won't sell him prints based off of that CD (doesn't stop him from copying them to a PC I guess anyway - then burning a new copy).

Bummer...sounds a little like this guy wants to pull your strings some and get you riled up. It's working. :-P

Someone you go to school with maybe?

07/13/2009 02:32:24 PM · #15
...he may be friends with several other of your potential clients, and you may be worried about losing them too, but that gives you another problem- give into him AT ALL, and they will all expect the same thing from you.
07/13/2009 02:32:38 PM · #16
Whoops! I'm late to this party (and slow to type today I guess). :-D
07/13/2009 02:35:07 PM · #17
50 bucks is hardly worth picking the camera for. Don't bother.
07/13/2009 02:39:53 PM · #18
Originally posted by JaimeVinas:

50 bucks is hardly worth picking the camera for. Don't bother.


i agree. i have 1 package under $50 for the kids who truely cant afford it, but i know he can. i think his mom will come through and end up buying the big stuff anyways
07/13/2009 02:44:55 PM · #19
Originally posted by LadyK:

Originally posted by kirbic:

I agree with those who say "just don't do business with him." You have the right to refuse his business. Some customers are not worth the trouble.


he is friends with every one of my other potetial clients. i dont need him pulling a douche move and badmouthing me to everyone(word of mouth is my main form of advertisement). but i understand what you are saying, and i really am considering it


At this point you may be a bit stuck. If he is buddies with your other clients, and they will pull their business at his word, then it makes it tough to win. Sometimes we don't, and life isn't fair. If the CD is for proofs, then make the watermark visible. If the CD is not for making prints, then you might try a little notce that the CD does not inclue the right to make prints, and that doing so is a violation of your copyright. He may still do it, and likely it would not be worth persuing.

You might want to over-sharpen his photos a bit so that when he blows them up, they get grainy as hell. Or, take pictures that are less than flattering. Not bad exposures, just that he seems to look a bit dorky.... Ask John McCain how that works, one Jill Greenberg was not thrilled with him, when she took pictures for Atlantic Monthly.
07/13/2009 02:45:41 PM · #20
Tell him to have his neighbor do it for the $50 and then tell him to beat it!!! Up to this point it's free to him, so I would suck up the time loss and cut your losses.

Give in once and you'll forever be screwed as he WILL tell his friends.

(Steps down off soapbox and clacks away in heels...)
07/13/2009 02:54:38 PM · #21
If his friends are anything like him then ask yourself this...

Do you really want them as clients anyway? Meaning, what will you lose if he bad mouths you to them?


Message edited by author 2009-07-13 14:56:16.
07/13/2009 03:04:01 PM · #22
If this is for proofs, create a slide show dvd, or a flash slide show for computer. the only way to get images for print would be to take screen shots.
07/13/2009 03:10:05 PM · #23
ugh, ok guys thanks for the advice. his mum is calling me i guess, cause i told him that if i have any feelings that there will be copyright violations next time we meet that i will not do business with him. great
07/13/2009 03:12:10 PM · #24
just give him a 72 dp with 200x300

07/13/2009 03:16:24 PM · #25
This clearly illustrates the advantage of a website. Post and protect them. In this case those. Add Acne to his images and put them on facebook! ;-)
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