watermark watermark watermark!

i've seen several posts on other blogs this past week talking about the importance of watermarking your photos. Jess first brought the issue to my attention and then Chelsey put up a picture on instagram yesterday that broke my heart.

apparently the "chalk crown boy"'s picture from Jess's link (this is the source of the 'real' boy. imposter chalk crown boys are all over pinterest) is being printed on t-shirts without the mother's credit or even consent. that is really scary! i post TONS of pictures of norah all over the place, facebook, instagram, twitter, and now this blog. my personal facebook page is private but everything else is very much public. i never thought to watermark before. i mean who would steal my pictures, right? but now it's a totally different story. photo theft can happen to anyone! it makes my stomach hurt just to think about someone stealing norah's pictures and claiming them (and HER) as their own.

from now on, this blog will only post watermarked pictures (same goes for instagram and twitter. i'm not concerned about fb just because it's so private and i'm only 'friends' with family and real-life friends on there. i doubt any of those people would steal norah's pictures but who knows, i might make that next step too). i hope, if you aren't doing so already, you will start watermarking too! the internet can be a crazy scary place.

here's a great how-to from mandy on watermarking. and here's her reaction to finding out her son's picture was stolen and being passed off as another woman's OWN CHILD. so very sad.