25 Replies

You are so right! It really is important that you watermark! I have a step by step tutorial (very, very basic for the person who has no clue how to do this) on my FB page and my blog if anyone needs help. Just message me or email me at peggydoescake@gmail.com. Also, there are lots of easy, free tutorials if you Google “how to watermark with Irfanview” (Irfanview is my photo viewing software of choice; free, easy to use, and trustworthy). But of course there are lots of free software that you can use to watermark and all of them have watermarking tutorials on the net. I hope you all invest a few minutes and make watermarking a priority. Trust me from someone who knows first hand, it’s a BAD feeling to see someone “steal” your cake photo and pretend its theirs. Watermarking prevents this. Thank you Evelyn for putting out this reminder!

https://www.facebook.com/PeggyDoesCake

Oh Evelyn, I forgot to add how sorry I am that this happened to you! Some people have no shame!

https://www.facebook.com/PeggyDoesCake

Wow, guys! Sorry to hear that happened to you. That’s crazy! I guess I never thought of that happening, but I don’t have a business (yet) and my work isn’t the most amazing (lol) so I’ve never even considered it! Thanks for the heads up, Evelyn! I think I’ll start watermarking.

Just happened to me a couple weeks ago and it was so random too…the particular offender commented on FB on a VERY popular page and I thought “woah, her profile pic looks familiar” then I clicked on it to see that it was one of my older cookie pics she was using, as a profile pic no less!! I checked out her page and she had several stolen photos from all different people. I contacted her immediately and luckily she took it down and several others (after I tattled to all I could identify). Needless, to say I’m getting better about marking my photos with my name!

find me at: www.facebook.com/CorrieCakes

Yes ladies it important to mark your work. I was extremely furious when I saw my work with someone else name on it. When I contacted her she told me it was not her intention to do that and I thought to myself “if that’s not her intention then what is?” thats like someone saying its bot what you think. Anyway I just wanted to share this info cause I don’t want to see it happen to anyone else!!

Evelyn's Bakery-Facebook.com/evelynsbakery

Oh man, it’s happened to several of you! I can’t believe people would do that! It makes no sense. I can imagine how maddening that must be! I need to find a way to watermark with iPhoto just in case my cakes ever get good enough to steal.

I can’t believe what some people would do… well I can, I have met some of them but it is sad really.
I will have to watermark mine, not that I can see anyone wanted to steal them lol but I can’t imagine how crappy it would feel. So sorry to hear it happened to you lovely talented ladies!

Tara, Nova Scotia, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Valleys-kool-cakes/131353476890032

I think watermarking is important and Evelyn I am sorry you had your pictures stolen. But I do want to play devil’s advocate here. As a graphic designer who is pretty good with photoshop I will say that watermarking will not totally stop someone from stealing.

I am pretty good at taking watermarks out of pictures. I will say this. Don’t just put your watermark anywhere. Put it where it is really hard to duplicate the area. It may make the image hard to see but this will be the only place someone will not be able to take the watermark out without it being noticed.

Jennifer, https://www.facebook.com/PrimaCakesandCookies

This is so awful to hear about! And it happened to so many of you, its shocking. If any of you know if these people who have stolen pictures still have profiles would you mind posting the link to their pages so that others can check to look for their own work or the work of someone they may know that may have been stolen? Looks like we all need to keep an eye out for each other!

I never thought of my work as being good enough to be stolen but this does make me wonder. I should definitely look into watermarking my work..Thank you all for the warning.

Nikki, So Cal, www.Facebook.com/nikkibelleperchecakes

Just can’t believe anyone, especially someone “cake-worthy” would want to take credit for something they didn’t do! I’ll have to check out how to watermark. Thanks!!

Janiepie from GA - Find me on Facebook Cake Studio J

If you go to www.picnik.com you can do the watermark for free.

Ana,Maryland,http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anas-cake-world/142712325757639?ref=tn_tnmn

I use picnik.com too! It’s sad to see that cakers would do this. If you like that cake that much make it yourself and tweak it to make it your own. It will be sad when someone wants the pic in the cake and you have no idea how to make it. Shame shame

Jess B :-) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweets-By-Jess/238113109569053

it’s so sad to read that this has happened to a lot of you. I can’t believe how low some people will go! tsk tsk tsk! shame on them. well, i guess i need to start watermarking my pictures.

Lainie, www.facebook.com/harina.cakes

So, I too am on a Mac and was excited to see the picknik.com post, as iphoto does not do watermarks….unfortunately, picknic.com is closing effective 4/19/12. Anyone know of any other alternatives, especially for Mac users?

Stacy, Battle Creek Michigan - www.bumbleberries.net | facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/bumbleberries/160218613994258

I’d like to know that too! As all I have are Mac computers.

I use Paint program (windows) Sorry never used a Mac so not sure if they got the program. I haven’t taken the time to learn how to use photo shop correctly. I just started posting pictures this month even though I joined the site in November. I figured fresh start nows the time to start watermarking. SO my watermark is really simple and plain. Think of it this way though if there is no watermark at all your pictures are at risk and if they really know photoshop they can remove it but most wont even go through all that trouble. Sorry you guys got some of your photos stolen it’s so odd and wrong that people do that.

Jessica, Kodiak Alaska http://www.facebook.com/ConceptualConfections

There is a Facebook page called “Stop the Cake Thief” that addresses this issue…check it out!

Loren, http://www.thebakingsheet.blogspot.com, https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Baking-Sheet/210664827961

For Mac computer users try Star Watermark. It’s free and very, very easy to use with iPhoto!!
Can’t believe people actually try to take others peoples photos and use them as their own. Grrrrrrrr!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/SugarMommas-Custom-Cakes-Cupcakes-Cookies/112374258799677

Nicole - SugarMommas Custom Cakes

there is also Picmarkr.com which is part of flickr. Specifically to watermark your photos.

Karen www.frostedwithemotion.com or follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Frosted-With-Emotion/158157640910610

Has anyone had the problem of someone “stealing” your name? I feel like I need to buy the website domain, snag the email on every server out there, trademark the name, etc. I’m a fairly laid back person and hate that I’m feeling irate about this. Am I crazy that the thought of someone using my name for their cake shop starts my blood boiling?

Rachel, Fondant Flinger New Orleans, LA www.facebook.com/fondantflinger

I had someone last year open up a shop within a 30 mile radius – with the same name. I was beyond irate! I immediately secured 3 domain names. I never thought about it until then either. I have the same feelings you do Rachel, you are not crazy. Funny thing is, is that she didn’t last long..a fly by night caker! But at least I am covered and I am still around! :0)

Nicole - SugarMommas Custom Cakes

Thanks, Nicole! Glad I’m not alone! :)

Rachel, Fondant Flinger New Orleans, LA www.facebook.com/fondantflinger

watermarks might ensure stopping someone from claiming your picture as their own but unfortunately it doesn’t stop them from stealing your original design. :(

CathyC

Stealing someone’s design is wrong, I don’t deny that… but I don’t think design theft is nearly as big a deal as stealing someone’s actual WORK and claiming it as your own. Recreating the cake without permission or without giving credit is one thing, but taking someone’s photo and pretending you did it? That’s far lower in my book. When browsing the web, and you run across YOUR photo on someone else’s page – and they’re saying it’s theirs? They’re saying, “Oh thank you!” to all the gushers who are praising it? YOUR photo of YOUR cake, taken in YOUR work space, with YOUR camera? I can tell you first hand, it’s quite enraging!! The audacity of some people! I found my daughter’s birthday cake on a website (her name is Molly and her middle name is Morgan, so we quite often call her Molly Morgan). The cake was a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and it said, “Happy Birthday Molly Morgan.” I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on someone’s page and she had it described as a triple fudge mocha chip cake with raspberry hazelnut filling or some such crazy thing. I was like, “Uh. No.” If someone uses my design, I hope they’ll be decent enough to give a shout out – but in the end, at least they did the labor, even if they didn’t have to use their brain. But stealing my photos? Aw hell no; that just infuriates me! Here’s my tutorial on how to watermark a cake photo using Irfanview (my favorite photo software, it’s free, safe, and simple). Hope it helps someone in some way! If you’re not watermarking, please start doing it NOW.
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=261562977214509

https://www.facebook.com/PeggyDoesCake

sadly they often remove the watermarks :(

SugarEd Productions Online Sugar Art School. www.sugaredproductions.com