Embedding digital watermarks

To embed a watermark, you must first register with Digimarc Corporation--which maintains a database of artists, designers, and photographers and their contact information--to get a unique creator ID. You can then embed the creator ID in your images, along with information such as the copyright year or a restricted-use identifier.

To embed a watermark:

1. Open the image that you want to watermark. You can embed only one watermark per image. The Embed Watermark filter won't work on an image that has been previously marked.

If you're working with a layered image, you should flatten the image before marking it; otherwise, the watermark will affect the active layer only.

Note: You can add a watermark to an indexed-color image by first converting the image to RGB mode, embedding the watermark, and then converting the image back to indexed-color mode. However, the results may be inconsistent. To make sure that the watermark was embedded, run the Read Watermark filter.

2. Choose Filter > Digimarc > Embed Watermark.
3. If you are using the filter for the first time, click the Personalize button. Get a Digimarc ID by clicking Info to launch your Web browser and visit the Digimarc Web site at www.digimarc.com, or by contacting Digimarc at the telephone number listed in the dialog box. Enter your PIN and ID number in the Digimarc ID text box, and click OK.

(Once you have entered a Digimarc ID, the Personalize button becomes a Change button, allowing you to enter a new Digimarc ID.)

4. Enter a copyright year for the image.
5. Select any of the following image attributes:
• Restricted Use to limit the use of the image.
• Adult Content to label the image contents as suitable for adults only. (Within Photoshop, this option does not limit access to adult-only images, but future versions of other applications may limit their display.)
• Do Not Copy to specify that the image should not be copied.
6. For Target Output, specify whether the image is intended for monitor, Web, or print display.
7. For Watermark Durability, drag the slider or enter a value, as described in the next section.
8. Select Verify to automatically assess the watermark's durability after it is embedded (see Using the signal strength meter).
9. Click OK.