topic Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 16:11:53 GMT

I got a 7D camera and I would like put my signature in my photos

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

TCampbell — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 14:23:40 GMT

The EOS Utility will let you add 'author' data and also a 'copyright' message to the EXIF data of every image your camera creates. If you want the camera to do this, then you have to connect the camera to your computer and use EOS Utility to tell it what you want added to those fields.

If you're thinking of a 'watermark' (e.g. photographer's name -- which might resemble a signature) which is visible on the image itself (not hidden in the image EXIF data), this has to be done using a photo-editing software on your computer. I use Aperture (which supports watermarks -- but Aperture is Mac software). I believe Lightroom will also create watermarks (I'd be surprised if it didn't but I'm not a Lightroom user).

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 14:40:16 GMT

Thanks, that is what I want 'watermark'.

Regards

Marisela

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

ebiggs1 — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 15:30:55 GMT

If you are on a PC, than you want Light Room 5. It is really aimed towards the Pro user but anyone can use it even if you only do a few photos. It has every kind of "marking" I know of. It even allows you to assign "keywords" for later searches if you want to find that 'one' shot you took years ago.

The learning curve is a little long but not bad if you are only doing the easy common stuff.

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 15:35:57 GMT

Thanks and yes Im on a PC. I want my pictures with my name on it

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

ebiggs1 — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:08:55 GMT

"I want my pictures with my name on it"

Than you need Light Room 5. If I can help with getting you started in it, just ask!

It is an Adobe product. You can buy it retail or from their web site. It is around $149 bucks but you can find deals on it.

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:17:45 GMT

Thanks again, Im going to keep in mind you offer and I will let you know,

Regards

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

mls13 — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 02:48:04 GMT

You can use Zoom Browser that came with your camera to add text. Under the edit menu - edit image - add text.

Also for Windows you can use XNView for free to add text.

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 13:40:00 GMT

Thanks

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

TCampbell — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 15:27:38 GMT

BTW, a LOT of image editing apps (free and non-free) will let you do this... but for some the method to do it may not be so obvious.

Some apps have a watermarking feature because it's commonly used by photographers. In my app, I create an image of the watermark and just tell it where to place it and also what opacity/transparency it should have. The watermarks are only applied by my software when I export an image (when I view them inside the application I don't see the watermark.) But once the watermark is defined, it's automatic -- anything I export gets one (unless I turn it off) so I don't have to concieously remember to apply the watermark on an image-by-image basis.

Other apps aren't going to be so direct as to use the term "watermark". It may be as simple as creating a layer to add text on top of your image... picking a nice font and adding the text, and then setting it to some medium level of opacity/transparency so that the image partially shows through the text to create the effect of a "watermark" even though they never use the term "watermark".

You could do this with GIMP (which is free, but has a bit of a learning curve. The other limitation of GIMP is that it can only handle 8-bit color so that means you're usually limited to JPEG and it can't deal with RAW files from the camera). You can do this with Photoshop Elements (not free, but generally priced at less than $100.) There are many choices out there.

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 15:45:52 GMT

Thanks again Im tryinig to learn because Im a newbie but I would like a watermark in my pictures. I want to try free apps first then when I feel comfortable buy one, Im not decide yet which one but it look like a Lightroom is going to be the winner as you told me because Im a PC user.

Mary

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Skirball — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 17:57:44 GMT

As a photographer Lightroom is a great choice, it will smooth out your workflow, organize your work, and enhances your photos quickly and automatically, or allows you to customize just about anything you want.

If your only desire is to add watermarking there are hundred of free programs that can do that for you.

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 19:50:13 GMT

Thanks, can you tell me some of then please

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Skirball — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:46:21 GMT

Gimp is the king of free photo editing software. It's similar to Photoshop in capabilities. So it's more than capable of putting on a watermark, but it's complex too.

If you just do a search for "watermark photo free" you'll get dozens of hits. I saw one for a batch editor if you're looking to add your signature to all your photos. I also saw a link on the first page of the search that said "Top 10 Free Watermarking tools". So you can get someone elses opinion on the options. These free tools are going to be basic editors, some might have adds or try to get you to upgrade, but if all you're looking to do is put a signature on some photos, this is the route I'd go.

Canon also gives you a bunch of software with your camera. I never look at this stuff, but I'd expect there's some sort of photo editor in there? Adding a watermark is a very simple operation, I'd expect just about any photo editor can do it.

And lastly: I'm not trying to steer you away from Lightroom, I think it's hands down the best program for the digital photographer to own. But if you're not going to use it for anything other than the watermark, I'd go the free route.

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:53:59 GMT

Ok thanks I understand perfectly

Regards

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

ebiggs1 — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 17:21:21 GMT

You are certainly free to use what you wish to but all the "free" ones I have seen have strings attached. If not, they are crippled and will ask you to buy the full edition. Some require you to upload your photos to their web site first. Not my first choice!

GimpShop is open source (like Open Office) so it is mostly free as they only ask for donations which you may or not do. It is not Photo Shop however, not even close.

A person that buys a Canon 7D is usually a little more than just a snap shot shooter and you will probably end up with Light Room anyway. There are lesser photo editing programs out there but they are "lesser" programs.

I urge you to try them, try then all, and than get the "free" Light Room trial version.

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 17:42:50 GMT

Thanks, I know that free come with many strinsg attached, my husband alway say " you got what you paid " and it is true only I was wondering which one is the best for me to use, I dont want to paid for something tha is not really good, always I do my shopping around before buy, thanks again

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Skirball — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 22:08:30 GMT

Just got an email from B&H photo. LR5 for $99:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Items/ci/22520/N/4010465615?cm_mmc=EML-_-Promotion_Lightroom5off50-_-130829-_-Body_Retail_Lightroom550Off-BuyNow

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

Marisela — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 23:10:00 GMT

Thanks

Re: Can I put a personal signature in my photos

hsbn — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 23:43:06 GMT

Download the 30 days trial first. If you like it, you can purchase later. You won't lose your catalog.