Tip: Adding a signature to your images with Photo Mechanic
By Jason Odell | April 11, 2009 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 2) | TrackBacks ( 0)
Photo Mechanic 4.6.1 (still in public beta at this time, but available for trial download from Camerabits) offers a new watermarking feature that allows you to put a watermark image on exported images. I've adapted this technique to put my signature on images that I can export as JPEGs directly from my NEFs without having to go through Photoshop first.
What you'll need:
- Pen and paper
- Scanner
- Photoshop
- Photo Mechanic 4.6.1 (beta)
Step 1: Create your signature image file. Scan your signature from a white piece of paper and then load the image in Photoshop.
Step 2: Make a new layer from the background in Photoshop so that you can utilize transparency.
Step 3: In Photoshop, use the Select Color Range tool to select the white background.
Step 4: Delete the background selection. You should see the transparent "checkerboard" behind your image. Note: to make your signature white, use Photoshop's "Invert" command. I have a black and a white version of my signature saved.
Step 5: Resize the image. I chose a width of 150 pixels.
Step 6: Using "Save for Web and Devices," save a copy of the image as aPNG-24. This mode offers the best quality; make sure the "Transparency" checkbox is enabled.
Step 7: Open Photo Mechanic 4.6.1 and select the images (NEF or otherwise) that you want to export and choose "Save."
Step 8: Click the checkbox next to "Watermark" in the Save Dialog. Then click the "Watermark" button to open the Watermark dialog.
Step 9: In the Watermark dialog, enable the watermark feature and choose the location for the watermark image (usually the left or right corner). Make sure you check the box marked "Draw near outer edges". Choose the PNG file you created as the source file for the watermark image. Click OK.
Step 10: Complete the Save dialog operation by clicking "Save". The image will now contain your signature.
The finished result:
www.luminescentphoto.com
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By totographe
on December 18, 2009 4:56 PM
For the users of Capture NX, I suggest you check NXSignature. The process of creating a signature/watermark is quite the same as for Photo Mechanic, but after that, you'll be able to edit and or batch process files with the signature directly.
http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=en&js=y&u=http%3A%2F%2Ftotographe.free.fr%2Findex.php%3Fpost%2F2009%2F01%2F14%2FNXSignature-loutil-de-signature-pour-Capture-NX&sl=fr&tl=en&history_state0=
By Jimmy on March 26, 2011 10:20 AM
Right place right time in my case. My employer just had a prestigious new building built for our school of design and I took some shots which I sent to the publicity dept who promptly bought them from me. They were also going to pay someone to take archive shots of the building as it was when new so I volunteered and got that job too. The have a new build somewhere each year so I'll be in the frame for all that work as well.
Can't see any mileage in having shots on stock agencies in the hope that someone will pick mine from the millions but this seems to be a way to make a little back to feed my NAS habit!diabetes mellitus symptoms
Chris