 Denis J. Anderson |
Non-Printable Photo CD's I would like to provide my clients with a CD of their event or portrait sitting. However I would also like to sell them prints from their session. Is there a way (which I'm sure there is) to make a photo CD that can't be copied or printed from? Thanks in advance Denis
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robert G. Fately |
Denis, a photo CD is just a disk of files, so there is no way per se that you can prevent one from printing the files. However, you can make the files such that they will produce unappealing prints. First, make a version of the images that are only at 72DPI resolution - this will look okay on screen but will produce mediocre print output (since printers generally require about 300DPI to work well). Second, you can add an embossed 'watermark' to the images - perhaps with the ©Denis logo across the bottom or side, so that if they did try to print from the CD the embossed copyright would be very obvious. Therre are a number of ways to get a watermark into the files; I use a shareware program called iWatermark (Mac and PC versions available) that works quite well. You can run a batch of images through iWatermark and it will re-size to the lower DPI as well as add your copyright as an embossing where you like on each image. Save those to the CD and the customer won't be inclined to make prints - at least not ones they'll want to frame.
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robert G. Fately |
Denis, a photo CD is just a disk of files, so there is no way per se that you can prevent one from printing the files. However, you can make the files such that they will produce unappealing prints. First, make a version of the images that are only at 72DPI resolution - this will look okay on screen but will produce mediocre print output (since printers generally require about 300DPI to work well). Second, you can add an embossed 'watermark' to the images - perhaps with the ©Denis logo across the bottom or side, so that if they did try to print from the CD the embossed copyright would be very obvious. Therre are a number of ways to get a watermark into the files; I use a shareware program called iWatermark (Mac and PC versions available) that works quite well. You can run a batch of images through iWatermark and it will re-size to the lower DPI as well as add your copyright as an embossing where you like on each image. Save those to the CD and the customer won't be inclined to make prints - at least not ones they'll want to frame.
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Denis J. Anderson |
Thank you much Bob, I will try out that program and see what happens. It's to bad they don't have CDs like the old VHS video tapes where you can just pop out the tab, but then again there was always duct tape over the notch. LOL Thanks again Denis
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W. |
Bob's right, Dennis. You must keep in mind that anything that is visible on-screen can be copied (screenshot) and printed. Want to prevent ANY useful prints to be possible to make, then size the pix on that CD, or a website, no bigger than 800x600 pixels.
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Debbie Del Tejo |
I give a CD (small pixels) to my clients after they place an order...believe it or not...even when they have the Cd they still reorder from me because I have trained my clients to know the difference between labs like say, Walmart and a proffesional print.....If you let them know that THOSE prints are not going to last long....they appreciate it and come back to you for any further reorders.
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Denis J. Anderson |
Thank you all very much, and I agree Debbie educating the client is so important. Thanks, Denis
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