Expert: Glen Demers - 3/31/2009

Question
I am developing a portfolio of photographs that I will be publishing online.  Can I watermark these photos using Adobe Photoshop Elements or do I need the professional version?  If so, how is this done?

Answer
Hi Michael,

I think you can create a watermark in Elements using just layers. Paste your logo or whatever you want the watermark to be on a new layer. Select all the text, graphic in the watermark and fill with white. Invert the selection and delete everything else in the background.
Set the layer opacity to about 20%.

I don't know what kind of layer style options you have in Elements, but if you can give your watermark a very slight drop shadow that will allow you to lighten the watermark even more while still retaining it's effect and it will make it harder for someone to photoshop out the watermark.

Use save for web to save flattened jpg's for online use and just turn off the watermark layer in your originals.

Hope this helps,
Glen Demers
Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop 7
Prepress Technician, Best Printing Online
www.bestprintingonline.com

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