Watermark
A visible mark overlaid on an image to identify its creator or deter unauthorised use.
Measured in
%
In depth
Watermarks trade protection against presentation: a mark small enough not to spoil the picture is easily cropped or removed, and one large enough to be robust damages the image. Most photographers now rely on metadata, reverse image search and low-resolution delivery instead, reserving visible marks for proofs.
Examples in practice
Client proofs carry a semi-transparent mark across the centre, while approved deliveries carry none.