Pixelated or Watermarked Photos - How to fix

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   Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years ago

   I need help from anyone who had experience correcting a hub which was unpublished due to the use of "pixelated or watermarked photos". So far, only one of my 24 hubs got unpublished for this reason but all my hubs use original photos I took and edited myself (around 400 photos in total)and all of them have basically the same format and markings. I want to know how to correct this violation but I worry as well that the rest of my hubs will eventually get the same flag. Grateful for any tips/suggestions you can give.

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      wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      If your pics are pixelated it generally means that the resolution is too low for the size of the photo.  You can either reduce the size being shown or remove it - there isn't another good option.

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         Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the quick reply.  The low resolution probably applies to the watermark signature in the photo. Will see if connecting this part will work.   Thanks again.

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            Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I mean "correcting this part..."

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            wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            No it doesn't.  Pixelated photos show up as large pixels in the finished product and are simply a product of low resolution.  There aren't enough pixels to look smooth.
            
            I could be wrong (check the learning center) but I don't believe that any watermarks are acceptable, including your own.  Or you could ask HP directly on this.

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               Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               The photos I used in the unpublished hub were actually very clear close-up photos of flowers and orchids (I used a 12mp DSLR). I had to brighten some of the photos but otherwise they were clear and  smooth in published hub.  That's why I thought that it's the signature that's causing the problem.  If it is, then the problem is a lot more complicated because all the photos I used in all my hubs are signed (watermarked) so, if that is the problem, it means I will have to rectify all my hubs eventually.

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                  wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  If your pics are 12mp they are way more than is necessary - pixelation won't be a problem even if you crop most of it away and blow up a small portion to full size.
                  
                  But if they have a watermark that is a problem and you would probably be wise to immediately begin correcting them.  It is possible that HP will suddenly unpublish the lot if they find you have the problem through most of your hubs.

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                     Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     ..Or just move them to another site where such policy don't exist.  Even the most heavily watermarked photos can be stolen in the net and I don't feel comfortable giving out my hard-earned personal collection of photos that easily. Thanks.

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                        Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        I know some Hubbers in your situation - they emailed team@HubPages to explain the situation and got an exemption.
                        
                        However, as Relache says, Hubbers are encouraged to flag Hubs when they see violations, and new moderators could be hired any time who won't know you've been exempted, so you could find Hubs being unpublished accidentally in future.
                        
                        You could consider putting a highlighted text box in your Hub somewhere prominent (create a text box, float it right and select a blue background). It could say something like "All images in this Hub are copyright Jessie T. Ponce and watermarked as such.  They may not be copied or used without my express permission"
                        
                        That will reduce the risk of Hubbers reporting you or moderators thinking you've stolen the photos!

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                           Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Excellent suggestions Marisa.  Thanks. Will try both (write team@Hubpages and install text boxes in those that are not yet unpublished).  It will require some work but it's a gargantuan task as well to re-edit and replace 400 photos in 24 hubs. If I can't find an easy solution within HP, the next best option as I told wilderness is perhaps to move everything to another site where this kind of restriction does not apply.

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      relacheposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      No one can help you with your Hubs but you. 
      
      The FAQ explains what this flag means and what you have to do to fix it,
      http://hubpages.com/faq/#pixelated-watermarks

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         Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the link.  Will try the suggestions.

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   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   You cant use watermarked photos, even if they are your own.

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      Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is what the link given by relache says but I see a lot of hubs with "signed" photos especially in the photography category, some marks are even embossed.  So, is this a random application of the policy or there is a specific criteria to be followed?

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         relacheposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Watermarked photos are against the rules, plain and simple.  If you see watermarked photos, it means that Admin hasn't come across those Hubs themselves.  Site users are encouraged to flag Hubs when they see violations so that the moderators can review them and take any applicable action.

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            Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I realize now that the unpublished hub probably got flagged by somebody and, come to think of it, I just told everyone reading this thread that all my more or less 400 photos in my 24 hubs are watermarked.  I will try Marisa Wright's suggestion but I won't be surprised if all my hubs get unpublished in the coming days because I signed [b]my own original photos[b] to protect them from being stolen.  I think it's a case where instead of HP protecting a hubber's rights, he/she gets unpublished instead.

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               Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               ...and if they read that and understand they're your photos, not stolen, then no one will flag the others.  However, not every Hubber reads the forums!
               
               If a Hubber flags a Hub, all it does is place that Hub in a queue to be reviewed by official moderators.

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                  Jessie T. Ponceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Whew, have done your text box suggestion Marisa. Thanks.  Now, how do I contact team@Hubpages? Is there a feature for that here at HP or should I do that from my personal e-mail account?

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                     Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     From your normal email account.

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