Watermarks

As odd as it may seem, since I'm a blogger....I'm not a huge blog reader. It's not because I don't enjoy reading blogs, it's because I just don't have time. I do read some blogs, that I have come to enjoy and that belong to some of my friends (blogging friends and face to face friends); but I don't read them every day. I usually have a couple days a week where I can sit down and read through their blogs. You might have noticed that I haven't been posting every day either....this just makes me sad....because I love to write. I've always had an affinity for writing.....having people read it....is sort of great and humbling all at once. I didn't start this blog to attract millions of readers. I started it to journal, write things I felt compelled to write about, and share the love of Christ. I hoped there would be a few readers, but honestly having people read it is just a bonus. When someone tells me they read something on my blog, I am usually initially surprised and then grateful. Truly I have a passion for writing and although I may not be that good at it....I find it very fulfilling. A few other things I have a passion for are Jesus, my family and photography which brings me to the originial intent of this post.

You will notice that my photos, on this blog and on my other blogs, will now have a watermark on them. This is because I discovered, while reading someone's blog on my designated blog reading day and time, that there was someone who was "stealing" her photos and passing them off as her own. She was even commenting on other people's twitters like she was this person, and she entered the photos in contests as if she took them and they were photos of her own children. Can you say "creeeeeepy"? Although NPayne has told me all along...."You know that people can 'steal' your photos? You need to watermark them!" I didn't really think twice about it. It didn't bother me. Honestly I thought why would anyone steal photos of my kids, since that is who I usually post photos of on this blog. I always watermark photos on my photography blog, because....well...that's what you do when you're a photographer. After I read about someone "stealing" Brittany's photos of her family and not only passing them as her own photos but as her own children, it gave me the creepy heebie jeebies. I decided that even though I don't have millions of readers and followers like many bloggers do, I didn't want people "stealing" photos of my kids. Some may find it flattering for someone to use your photos, but I find it creepy and wrong!

So from now on, my photos will all be watermarked in some fashion, because these are MY children....and of course NPayne's children....and most importantly God's children. To me, it's sad that people feel compelled to do this; and I have prayed for this woman who stole the photos. There must be something that made her do it....she's lonely or sad or missing something in her life....don't you think? I'm not trying to pass judgement....just trying to understand.