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1. Open any image and resize it (Image>Image Size) to be 4x6 inches (horizontal or vertical is OK) at 240ppi. I'm using 240ppi here because that is the standrad resolution that I print at. Next, make a copy of the action you just made by dragging it onto the New Action icon at the bottom of the palette or by clicking on it and choosing Duplicate from the palette options menu. Double click on the name of the action and rename it “add copyright notice-4x6”.
The copy of the File Info action renamed in the Actions palette.
NOTE: The size that any text will be in relation to the image is dependent on the size the image will be when printed. Since we will be adding actual text to the image (instead of just information to the File Info dialog), this action will be tailored to adding text to a 4x6 inch image. Since the size of the text is influenced by image size , these type of actions are best when they are designed for a general image size.
2. In the Actions palette, click on the step that adds information to the File Info dialog ("Set File Info of current document") and then click on the Record button to begin recording some new steps.
3. Select the Type tool. In the Options bar, choose a font (since this is just a copyright notice, something simple will do; I used Frutiger). Set the size to 8 points and the justification to right (see illustration below).
The color you use will depend on each individual image, so just choose white for now; since this action will preserve the type layers, you can modify it on a per image basis once the action is complete. Click in the lower right corner near the edge of the image where you want to place the copyright notice and type: "Copyright by (your name), 2004. All Rights Reserved". Press the Enter key when you are finished typing.
4. In the Layers palette, set the Opacity for the new type layer to 50%.
5. Click on the Layer Style icon at the bottom of the Layer’s palette (the small, italicized f) and choose Drop Shadow from the popout menu. In the layer styles dialog just click OK to accept the default drop shadow settings.
6. In the Actions palette, click the square Stop button to stop recording.
The copyright noticed generated by the Action described above.
Since the Right Justified option was used when we added the type and the precise text insertion point is recorded, this action will always add the text in the correct position in the lower right corner of any image you use it on. Setting the layer opacity to 50% simply makes the notice subtler so it doesn't get in the way of the image. The drop shadow layer style helps to add some separation between the type and the background.
The only thing you may need to adjust is the color of the type. Since every image is different, you may run across times where the color that is programmed into the action will not show up well (or at all) on some photos.
If you don’t like the notice to be on top of the image, and would rather have it just below the image, simply add some extra white canvas area (Image>Canvas Size) to the bottom of the photo before creating the type layer.
As an alternate or additional step, you might also choose to add the copyright symbol as a large watermark over the mddle of the image. Even if this is applied in a screened back, subtle fashion (as seen in the illustration below), this will still interfere with the image, so it may be too much for some people's tastes. If you want to try it out, however, here's the extra step to add the copyright symbol watermark to the action we just described:
NOTE: It doesn't matter whether you do this step before or after the addition of the text copyright notice.
1. Select the Shape tool and choose the Custom Shape icon (it looks vaguely like a rounded edge star shape leaning backwards). On the far left side of the Options bar, make sure the first icon is selected. Move your mouse over to the center of the Options bar and click on the custom shapes picker. The copyright symbol is included in the default collection of shapes. Click on it to select and and press Enter to close the shapes picker.
Using the default custom shapes collection to add a copyright symbol watermark.
2. Press "D" on the keyboard to set the default colors and then "X" to make white the foreground color. Click in the center of your image, hold down the Option key (Mac) or Alt key (Win)and drag in your image to add a shape layer of the copyright symbol (the Option/Alt key means the shape will be created from the center outwards). Keeping the Shift key down as you drag will constrain the proportions of the symbol. Adjust the opacity of the layer as desired (I used 40%). Depending on the colors and brightness levels in the image, you may need to use a different color. My general rule of thumb is to use either black or white (depending on the photo) and adjust the opacity down so that the effect is noticeable, but very subtle. If you liked the drop shadow effect we used on the text copyright notice, you can also use it here.
The copyright symbol added as a watermark over the image.
Copyright 2003, 2004 by Katrin Eismann, Seán Duggan Tim Grey. All Rights Reserved
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