P: Watermarking publicly shared collections

Report · Dec 09, 2019

I frequently create colections that I sync publicly and I enjoy that feature much. However, if I need to watermark images in a collection before I sync them publicly, that capability is not offered in Adobe Lightroom Classic. I must first watermark and export the entire collection to a folder on my desktop. Then I have to re-import that watermarked collection back into Lightroom and from that batch, I can create a publicly synced, watermarked collection. Adobe, if you're listening, PLEASE GIVE US THE ABILITY TO WATERMARK PUBLICLY SYNCED COLLECTIONS DIRECTLY OUT OF LIGHTROOM CLASSIC.

Report · Dec 09, 2019

So, often this is done via a Publish Service, not via syncing. As such an export occurs, an export not to the catalog but to the media you publish to.

For example publishing to Smugmug.

Used to be able to do that to Facebook, but Facebook took that away (for non commercial )

I think you can still publish to Flickr, and you can publish to Instagram.Oh, and Adobe Stock.

So a question is, where are you syncing to? And does a publish service for Lightroom Classic exist.

This would involve a plug-in.

In theory, you could map a network or perhaps an ftp session to a drive, publish to a hard drive (that drive)

Not a clue how.

Report · Dec 09, 2019

I am simply creating a collection in LR Classic, syncing the collection to Adobe Cloud and clicking on "make public". Lightroom generates a link that I can share or give to my clients. (love it) However, if I want to add a watermark - copyright for example - I can't do that without having to export the entire collection, adding my watermark, to an outside folder, and then re-importing the images (now watermarked) from that folder back into LR and THEN creating a "make public" on-line gallery. If Adobe would give us the ability to add a watermark at the time we create that "make public" gallery, I (we) could eliminate that extra step and save a lot of time.

Report · Dec 10, 2019

It is but only if you first Export those images to a new file and in that process place a watermark on them.

LR Never changes the original file. So the only way to place a watermark is to create a New File through the Export process.

Report · Mar 16, 2020

That is precisely the pain-in-the-ass that is driving me crazy. I deal in thousands of images and numerous collections. I KNOW if someone at Adobe really wanted to save me (us) a bunch of unnecessary work, they could make it happen. They’re Adobe. If they can’t do it, who can? I just want to create an on-line gallery from a synced collection with my custom watermark from inside Lightroom. COME ON ADOBE!

Report · Mar 17, 2020

It is my opinion that most people that use LR, the Traditional version, forget where it came from and what it was designed to do.

It is a Digital Negative/Positive converter program. Although there are no real digital Negatives (Reverse of what you see and print) it is based on Film Photography where you have negative and positive pieces of film.

If you ever worked with film would you ever (Maybe sometime you might do this but not often or on a regular basis) CUT a film negative or slide and add something to it. 99.999999% of the time No. Your negatives are Golden and would never be changed or altered.

That is what LR does with Digital Files. That is the BASE Concept, Never change the original RAW file. Add or subtract from it by overlaying something on it for (and here is the big part) DISPLAY ON YOUR SCREEN ONLY but Never Change the Original RAW file (The Film negative or positive/slide).

So if there was a way to add a permanent watermark to the original RAW, or even if the file was a JPG, that would go against what LR was designed to do.

That is why the addition of a watermark on a image file is only available when you create, Export, the original to a NEW, second, file.

So for all the images you plan on sharing, syncing collections with LR Web and mobile, you should Export a Copy of those images that you can then place a watermark on.

Report · Mar 19, 2020

Yes, we inderstand all that. What I'm suggesting is something different - something kin to a layer- a "watermark layer" or "side car" created inside lightroom and applied, not "to" the image but separetly "with" the undisturbed original. Next we'll hear, "... but Lightroom doesen't support layers". Yes, we all know that too but perhaps it's time to start thinking outside the box - how we CAN do it, rather than why we CAN'T do it. I never did like that word, can't.

Report · Feb 01, 2022

Agreed. It's 2022. It's silly to suggest there shouldn't be a very easy workaround for this. Nobody's talking about changing the original, raw file. At absolute worst, we're talking about adding a watermark to the lower res version that syncs to the web. And even that could be avoided with a simple script incorporated into the web interface that either overlays it onto the images, or adds it when someone downloads it.

Web album and online sharing wasn't part of the original Lightroom, either, so a deep dive into the history and original purpose of Lightroom seems completely irrelevant.

Did you ever find a good solution for this? I'm on with someone on chat support who also can't seem to believe that this isn't possible yet...

Report · Feb 01, 2022

So reading the back and forth on this, a bit contentious, but the heck with that and I will put in my two cents.

I agree that the watermark should be available at the develop stage. A non destructive edit adding a bit of text or image that can be turned on or off.

And, no, I do not care from where LrC came, just look at all the complaints by supposed Wedding pros complaining about masking, do you not like that change? That is certainly not part of the original Lr concept.

Report · Feb 13, 2022

I am following this.. I have the same issue and I AM NOT exporting thousand of images just to use adobe portfolio.

Report · Jun 14, 2023

It's 2023 and I just ran into this issue myself. It would be so helpful, and it doesn't seem that hard to implement. You upload the original image, and they don't have to create a copy with a watermark, they just display the watermark on the website, as it was mentioned in a non destructive way.

Report · May 17, 2024

May 2024 and experiencing this issue myself. I am syncing collections from LrC to Lr and Adobe Portfolio with no way of watermarking my photos. It has been over 4 years since the original post. Does anyone have a link to an Adobe explanation of why they will not make this happen?

Report · May 19, 2024

Seven votes in 4 years doesn't suggest that there's much interest in the feature. There are feature requests with 10x that many votes that still haven't been implemented yet.

Report · May 19, 2024

My solution was bail on using porfolio - Its just was too damn annoying there was no simple way to accomplish this...

Report · May 22, 2024

Very Simple Solution for Watermarking!

I simply select all the photos and then add a Brush Adjustment X through the picture from opposite corners (using shift for a straight line) with a .3 brush size and Exposure all the way up. It creates a simple bright white X through the picture that's thin but I feel protects my pictures really well. By selecting all before doing this, it creates and copies the X onto all the photos and it can equally be removed by again selecting all and deleting the Brush adjustment from a single piture. Lightroom duplicates the Add and Remove to everything. Its SUPER EASY and I've never had a client complain. Added to everything in about 15 seconds. Removed in 5 seconds.

I've attached my brush settings (which I've saved as a brush preset). This is so easy, there's honestly no need for a complicated Watermarking Feature... but I'd take it if they created it!

Feel free to reach out to me if you need further explaination!