Photo Watermark 101...

 

After my Photography 101 post, many of you have asked me how to place a watermark on the photos that you would post on your blog.  Thank you!   I was so thrown back by the high response that I was so excited to show you my secret!!!

I promised I would get this out to you before I left on my cruise. I may have forgotten to pack my underwear but this post is up and running...just for you!!!! ;)

Before we get started, I want to let you know that I will be talking Microsoft here...not Mac.

For those of you that have a Mac...I do not have a Mac and therefore I am Mac challenged! However, if you do have a Mac, I am sure that there is a photo editing program or something similar to what I use to help you in inserting a watermark on your photo during your post draft. I'm sorry as I really don't think that I can help you here :(

edited at 8:25 pm...

Good news for Mac people! :))))    I am directing you to Miss Connie at Living Beautifully because she can show you exactly how to watermark your photos using Mac's software technology. She graciously wants to share this with you so please go visit her and let her know you'd like some help.

Thanks Connie!!!!

Okay, let's get to business here...

So for all of you who have a regular PC (like me)...I'm going to tell you one of my best kept secrets. One that was told to me by one of my first ever blog buddies, Suzanne of Pink Roses. I swore that I'd never tell another soul but I love you too much not to let you in on the good stuff ;)

The BIG Secret: I do NOT post my posts through the Blogger (blogspot) set up. Nope. Blogger just does not do what I want it to do for me. I tried and sometimes my photos were too small, not where I wanted them to be, and most of all, there was no option to add a watermark. I had to manually edit each and every photo through PhotoShop and then add them to my post. It was just too frustrating as I am so not a blogging rocket scientist nor do I have the time to spend sitting here at my computer.

Instead, I use Windows Live Writer. It is a Microsoft program that works in conjunction with your own blog, no matter if it's Blogspot, Typepad, Wordpress, etc. It's FREE (my favorite word) and I love it. I would never do anything different. I'm all about easy (and free) and with the click of the mouse...it's done and I'm on my way. I can write a quick post full of photos and get it out there, or have many posts ready and post them on future dates. I can enlarge my photos to the size of my paragraph width, place the photos exactly where I want them and place watermarks on each photo without having to use an editing program first. All of this is done in one place, and it's very simple.

So below, I'm going to tell you how to download this program and how to post a watermark from there. This is how I do it and once you download Windows Live Writer, posting is such a pleasure. I promise :)

Before you take the plunge, you can check out the site here  at Writer - Windows Live and read all about it to see if it's for you.

example of the home page...

If you are interested and want to try it, just click the "Download" button to the right of the Windows Live screen and follow the simple directions to coordinate the program with your blog. It's VERY simple...I promise!!! I even have it installed on my laptop so that I can post on the go...it's that easy!

Once you are all set up and downloaded, Windows Live Writer will take your blog and save all of it's settings. Instead of you having to go to your blog site when you are ready to post, Windows Live Writer will be available to you on your start up menu.

Note: You will not loose any of your settings in your current blog format whatsoever. Everything will remain the same!!!

Now that The Big Secret is out, let's put a watermark on a photo through your new blogging program. You'll shortly see how easy it is to post beautiful photos...with a WATERMARK!!!! yay!!!!!

Let's say I want to start a new post draft. Instead of going into Blogger, I will open my Start up Menu and click on Windows Live Writer.

example ONE: the main screen that will come up...

This is a very user friendly program...you'll see as I show the screens for you.

Let's begin by typing the title to your blog draft.

Write a sentence or two and then we will insert a photo.

When you're ready to insert a photo, you will put your cursor where you want your photo to be and click on Insert Picture in the right hand side bar as seen below...

Then a screen will come up with folders for you to choose your photo from your hard drive. Search and find your photo wherever you have it saved.

example TWO: My Pictures folder...

You will then find your desired photo and click Insert.

Your photo will then appear in post draft. It will be small and off to the left side.

example THREE: of inserted photo...

Note that the photo has little squares around it. This is for you to stretch the photo to full size, making it larger and better to see. However DO NOT ever use the squares in the middle. ALWAYS use the corner squares to enlarge by clicking on any one of them (I like to use the top right square), hold it down and move it out, all the way to the end of the text area (my tan area). You will then see it enlarging and fitting to fill your text area. Do not go over onto your decorative background (my brown area). see example FOUR.  By using the corners only, this keeps the original picture ratio and does not distort or blur the photo.

If you mess up, don't panic. There is an "undo" button at the top left (the red circular arrow).

example FOUR: of enlarged photo...

Now isn't that photo really nice to see? It's large, it's full size with the text area and all we have to do now is insert a watermark!!!

okay...when you insert a photo and see the squares around the photo, do you see how the side bar on the right has changed? (compare to example ONE) This is the photo editing side bar. If you do not see it, just click on your photo again and it will come up. From here you can rotate, cut, paste, move, change contrast, add a border, etc.

Let's add a watermark...

click on the photo you've inserted to bring up the photo editing side bar.

click on the Effects tab (all the way to the right)

You will see a Green Plus Sign and a Red Minus Sign

example FIVE: of what you will see...

click on the Green Plus Sign and move your mouse over to Overlays and then click on Watermark.

Now you will have a different side bar again with more options.

example SIX: of the photo editing sidebar options...

Here you will insert your watermark text such as your name, your blog name, a date, or give credit to the original artist of the photo. The possibilities are endless. I use everything vintage and sometimes I only use my initials EV, depending on the photo.

Then you will choose your font. This is the fun part as they have SO many fonts to choose from!!! Don't we all love fonts??? yay!

Then you will choose the size which is a great option depending on the photo!!! You certainly don't want to cover the whole photo with a distracting watermark.

And lastly, you will choose where you want to place the watermark once you've chosen all of the above. There are five options and they are center, bottom right, bottom left, top right, and top left. You can play with all the areas to see which area is best for each particular photo you post.

example SEVEN: of my inserted watermark! ta-da!

Do you see my watermark in the photo above??? yay!

Gosh that was so easy and fun. Now all you have to do is just finish typing your post draft, file SAVE it and click PUBLISH and it's done and out there!

The cool things that I love about Windows Live Writer is you can:

* go back at anytime and pull up a post, any post and edit it without anything else being changed or lost.

* write posts in advance and they are stored in the drafts, with the titles visible for you to see at all times as a reminder.

* insert links, videos, borders, etc. simply with the click of a mouse

* format text font and colors easily with lots of fonts and custom colors too.

* edit my photos and add a watermark without having to do it prior in a photo editing program.

...and much more to detail here.

*****

So did I loose you or did I encourage you to download Windows Live Writer so that you can have full size photos and watermarks??? and much more...

Now of course, if you don't want to download Windows Live Writer, there is always the option of using a photo editing software program such as Picnik, PhotoShop, etc. In order to do that, you will have to edit the photo, add your watermark, and save each individual photo to your computer before you post. You won't have to do that if you download Windows Live Writer. Everything is right there on your right side bar. Think of it as "one stop shopping" and most of all...

it's EASY and FREE! (my two favorite words).

Gosh, I hope this was easy for you to understand. I tried to give you visuals as I cannot follow directions to save my life but if I "see" it, then I can do it! I hope this helped you.

If you have any questions, I'll be back in a week to answer them. I am leaving to go on my cruise within the next 48 hours (yay!) and I will be out of reach until January 17th. I will answer any and all questions in order as I return. Feel free to leave a comment or email me personally. I promise to get back with you in a timely manner, after I wash all my dirty clothes of course! ;)

So while I'm cruising to the Bahamas...I'll be anxiously awaiting my return to see all of my favorite blogs, all with beautiful photos and WATERMARKS!!!!! :))

Gonna miss you and thanks for all of the wishes of FUN! :)))

ps...I had to activate my comment word verification while I am gone as I was having some computer spam comment problems...sorry for the inconvenience...I know, I hate it too.