Is this necessary for beginning photographers?

[mellowyellow]

I'm an amateur photogrpaher, by amateur I mean I'm I've been on my schools yearbook staff for two years and really enjoy photography. Now, my friend made a facebook page for her photography and I've noticed that she has all her picture labeled with her name like her name will be in little letters on the corner of each picture. If I were to make a paage like that would I need to do it too? And what are some advantages of having a page like that on facebook? Thanks in advance.

[itsjoho]

It's called a watermark, so other people don't steal your photos and use it for their own purposes. No, it's not necessary unless you have an amazing shot, otherwise it doesn't really matter.
Advantages to have a page like that is just to have your friends and families feeback on your photos.

[JaymeeLS]

Her name on the photos are a watermark, though her's don't sound like they're very effective if it's small, and in a corner. If someone is wanting to claim a photo as their own work, a small cornered watermark can be VERY easy to crop/manipulate out.
Watermarks are mainly used to prevent art theft and advertising the photographic company.

If you made a page, it's entirely up to you whether you add a watermark or not. I don't tend to unless it's of people/events then I put my watermark across the middle so it's not something they're gonna want to print and put on their wall for free, but they'd use as a profile picture on Facebook (this means advertisement for you to whoever comes across their profile). I'd put it in the corner for people who I'd trust not to just crop it out, but not complete strangers.

For photos of anything else I don't bother since if anyone does try to pass a photo of yours off as theirs, they're not going to earn anything from it (having a low resolution version of it from Facebook). They can try to pass it off as theirs for all I like personally, but they'll know it isn't so any 'praise' they may recieve on it isn't going to make them any happier.

Facebook page advantages:-
-Advertisement/Business page (I recommend creating a profile not a page so you can send and recieve private messages)
-Feedback/critique
-Free
-Wide range of people who may see it.
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