Does embedding images in a flash presentation protect the image? What about streaming images to flash? I know in the past flash could be "decompiled". Is this still true?
With Flash one cannot drag an image to the desktop, thereby flash offers protection from the easiest form of illegal download. It is possible there are other ways to get flash images but I wouldn't know how they work.
However, what is easy to do with Flash, or with any web image, is to take a screen shot of your computer screen (command-3 or command-4 on a Mac) and if you have a calibrated monitor, which as photographers we do, you have a color-perfect copy of whatever is on your screen.... Command-4 on Mac is particularly interesting in this regard because it allows you to select a specific area of your screen, thereby bypassing the need to later crop down the image in photoshop....
Thanks Alain,
I do agree that there's no reason to be overly concerned about a small screen image. I like the way Jim handles security of images in photoportfolio without flash.
I put larger images up on my galleries and I place a large see-through watermark through the subject that is next to impossible to clone out. As stated, there's no 100% way to stop your images from being downloaded/stolen.
It's Shift-Command-4 (or 3) on Mac, not comand-3 as I wrote. My mistake. I think a similar command exists on Windows.
The copyright label is the best approach combined with small jpeg size. I'm not worried about people cloning off my copyright label because I believe that someone who doesn't want to spend the time creating their own images won't want to spend the time cloning off my label!
Discussion
4 repliesHowever, what is easy to do with Flash, or with any web image, is to take a screen shot of your computer screen (command-3 or command-4 on a Mac) and if you have a calibrated monitor, which as photographers we do, you have a color-perfect copy of whatever is on your screen.... Command-4 on Mac is particularly interesting in this regard because it allows you to select a specific area of your screen, thereby bypassing the need to later crop down the image in photoshop....
So what I am trying to say is that there's no 100% protection from illegal copy/download of your images. For me, the best protection is the small size of my web images (500 pixels max width or heights) and the fact that I add a copyright label (© Alain Briot 2007) on all my photographs. There's not much people can do with such a small image in terms of making a fine art print or anything else for that matter!
I do agree that there's no reason to be overly concerned about a small screen image. I like the way Jim handles security of images in photoportfolio without flash.
The copyright label is the best approach combined with small jpeg size. I'm not worried about people cloning off my copyright label because I believe that someone who doesn't want to spend the time creating their own images won't want to spend the time cloning off my label!
I keep the © label small because I want viewers to enjoy my images without having to look through a © sign typed in the middle the image. Placing a large © label makes me feel that the thieves have won by making it impossible for my audience to enjoy my work.