Watermark Configuration

By creavio Team April 10, 2026 1 views

Watermark Configuration

Watermarks protect your work in galleries where downloads are disabled or where images are being proofed before purchase. creavio lets you configure watermarks once and apply them to any collection.

Setting Up Your Watermark

  1. Go to Settings > Watermark
  2. Upload your watermark image — a PNG with transparent background works best
  3. Configure the settings:
    • Position — center, bottom-right, bottom-left, bottom-center, or tiled (repeating pattern across the image)
    • Opacity — 10% to 100%. Lower opacity is less intrusive but also less protective. 30-50% is the common range.
    • Size — percentage of the image width. 20-30% for a corner watermark, 40-60% for a center watermark.
    • Padding — distance from the edge of the image, in pixels
  4. Click Save

Applying Watermarks to Collections

Watermarks are applied per collection, not globally. In any collection:

  1. Click Settings > Watermark
  2. Toggle Enable Watermark
  3. Your saved watermark settings are applied to all viewing images in the collection

The watermark appears on the web-optimized viewing copies only. Original downloads are never watermarked. This means clients see the watermark when browsing but receive clean files when downloading (if downloads are enabled).

Watermark Design Tips

  • Use your logo, not your website URL. A logo looks professional. A URL looks like stock photo protection.
  • White logos work on dark images, dark logos on light images. If your portfolio varies, use a logo with a slight drop shadow or outline so it is visible on any background.
  • Do not make it too big. The watermark should identify your work, not obscure it. If someone cannot see the photo because of the watermark, it defeats the purpose of showing them the gallery.
  • Tiled watermarks are the most protective but also the most intrusive. Use these for proofing where clients are choosing favorites, not admiring final edits.

When to Use Watermarks

  • Proofing galleries — yes. Clients are selecting images, not downloading final versions.
  • Review galleries (commercial) — depends. Some commercial clients expect unwatermarked proofs. Ask first.
  • Final delivery galleries — no. If the client has paid and you are delivering finals, watermarks are not appropriate.
  • Public portfolio — optional. Most photographers skip watermarks on their portfolio because it degrades the viewing experience. If theft is a concern, right-click protection and lower-resolution web images are a lighter alternative.

Removing Watermarks After Purchase

If you run a proofing workflow where clients purchase individual images, toggle the watermark off for the collection after payment. Or enable downloads for paid images only — the downloaded originals will not have watermarks.