How we prevent potential image theft
When it comes to preventing others from freely downloading your copyrighted photos, it is hard to balance the line between usability and restrictiveness. We have evaluated various techniques to reduce any potential possibility of image theft, and we have just introduced two
ways to prevent it.
Watermarks
Now you can stamp your photos with the optional watermarks. Watermark is a semi-transparent text or image that gets placed on your photo to make it unusable for commercial use (unless it gets purchased.). Here is how we do it: you upload a photo, which gets stored on our server, and simultaneously we generate another photo, which we show to our viewers when they browse the site. This other photo is the one you can apply a watermark to, while preserving the original photo you submitted. When a buyer purchases your image, he/she will be provided with the original watermark-free photo, just as you uploaded it. Watermarking therefore does not affect your original, and you can remove it from the "view" version of your image at any time, as well as replace it with another watermark. That's right - you have a choice of watermarks to use! In fact, you can use our default watermark or build your own watermarks and re-use them for your photos. We encourage you to use watermarks if you submit photos that are shown actual size (less than 700 pixels in any dimension) and you are serious about selling them. If selling the photo is not your priority, or you submit a very large photo, a watermark may not be necessary, as it obstructs perception of artistic quality of your photo, even if it is almost transparent.
Right-click "Save As..." Option
We implemented a way to make it more difficult for people to save your photos using browser's right-click "Save as…" option. We do not disable the popup menu completely, as it may be frustrating for some users. Instead when a person saves an image by using "Save as…", the blank image is saved instead of the actual photo, protecting your original photo.
Ability to refuse ratings
Our members love the ability to receive feedback on their photos as and it helps them improve photos. There may be occasions when you, however, do not want the ratings or comments at all. Now you can choose to allow ratings or refuse them for every photo you submit. Even more - be in total control, and switch from allowing or refusing ratings at any time even after the initial upload. Note that refusing ratings does not erase any previously received ones, and should you decide to allow ratings after refusing them, any previously received ratings will be brought back.
New selections - Neglected and Non-ratable photos
If you read the previous section, you know that some photos may not have ratings, because
a photographer does not want ratings, or simply because no one has rated them yet. This
is the reason we introduced two new selections in the Photo menu:
Non-ratable photos are
those that cannot be rated since a photographer refused ratings, and
Neglected photos are those that are not rated by anyone yet. These two selections give you more choices to explore various photos at ShutterPoint.
More sorting and filtering options
Introduction of neglected and non-ratable photo sections calls for more ways to sort
photos. Highest Rated photos and photos by categories now include additional options to sort and filter photos to quickly get to what you are interested in.
New photo categories
Several new categories were added to better describe your submissions. One category that
was initially overlooked and is currently available is
"Botanical". If
you already uploaded any photos of flowers, you may want to make sure they are in
Botanical category.
Our model and property release rules
We changed our model and property release choices to be more flexible for photos that may require releases for commercial use. Keep in mind that any photo intended to be made available for sale needs a release if it contains a recognizable model or property. Please read more about this
topic here.
Updated FAQ and Selling tips
There have been some additions to our Help section, where you can find information about
watermarks, model and property releases, as well as general questions and
answers.
Faster and better image resizing
Recently we upgraded our image processing software, which now generates higher quality preview photos, and works even faster.
New e-mail notifications settings
A few weeks ago we added a way to control which e-mails you may want to receive from us. You may choose to receive e-mails when someone purchases your photos, when your subscription is about to expire, and when a new newsflash, like the one you are reading, is being sent out.
What's coming?
We keep listening to our members, and we will be adding more features soon. Many members have expressed an interest in the personal messaging, and we are working to deliver!
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