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Imatag protects your images with invisible watermarks

22 Dec

With advanced technologies such as Google’s AI capable of removing watermarks from images, and intelligent upscaling technologies like EnhanceNet, including visible watermarks on your images and uploading them at low resolution are no longer necessarily sufficient safeguards against your valuable images being stolen.

Invisible watermarking could be an efficient answer to these high-tech pirating methods. Imatag is a new service that adds an invisible and indelible watermark to your images, all without any degrading effect on image quality. This allows agencies and photographers to track their work and prove ownership when images are found to be illegally used on the web or in print.

On the Imatag website an online demo allows you to upload your own image, inspect the visual quality of the watermarked image and assess the robustness of the watermark. You can crop, scale and compress the original image to see see at what point the Imatag algorithm loses its ability to detect the watermark.

Another way of testing the system is by registering for a free account which allows you to upload 1GB worth of images. Uploaded images will be watermarked and hosted on the website but not be publicly available unless you make them visible. You can then download a watermarked image, edit it in your preferred image editing software and re-upload the modified image to check if the watermark can still be detected.

During a brief test with a couple of images we found that the modifications required to make the watermark undetectable were so strong that they would severely limit the usability of the resulting image. If you think Imatag could be a useful tool for your photography business but 1GB of storage is not sufficient for your purposes, 10 Euros per months subscription fee buy you 100GB. Special packages for agencies are available as well. More information is available on the Imatag website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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KUVRD Universal Lens Cap protects any lens from dust and water

19 Dec

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KUVRD has launched a one-size-fits-all Universal Lens Cap (ULC) designed to protect lenses from hazardous elements, including dirt and water, as well as minor drops. Simply called the KUVRD Universal Lens Cap, this ULC is made with silicone that can stretch to accommodate various lens shapes and sizes, including both the front and rear of the lens.

Here’s a quick intro, not that the concept isn’t pretty self-explanatory…

In addition to being water- and dust-proof, KUVRD explains that its ULC “never falls off” and helps absorb shocks.

One cap will absorb a little bit of a drop, but photographers who desire a greater degree of bump/drop protection can layer several KUVRD ULCs, placing one lens cover over another until you have several very snug layers of rubber between your lens and the elements. When not in use, KUVRD can be folded and stored in a compact area, such as a pocket or wallet.

KUVRD is seeking funding for its Universal Lens Cover on Kickstarter, where it has very quickly exceeded its $ 2,500 funding goal with about $ 72,000 in pledges. Backers who pledge at least $ 30 and share the campaign on social media are offered two Universal Lens Covers. Shipments will be available globally and are expected to start in March 2018.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Stealth Wear: Counter-Surveillance Fashion Protects Privacy

02 Apr

[ By Steph in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

Stealth Wear Anti-Drone Fashion 1
The rise of surveillance technology, including face recognition software, drones, body scans and cell phones as GPS locators, has resulted in some creative attempts to elude it. Designer Adam Harvey experiments with “fashion to challenge authoritarian surveillance” in a series called Stealth Wear (via PSFK). Anti-Drone garments protect against thermal imaging, a special cell phone pocket blocks signals, and off-the-wall makeup and hair styling techniques make it hard to ID faces.

Stealth Wear Anti-Drone Fashion 2

Stealth Wear Anti-Drone Fashion 3

The Anti-Drone garments are made with a lightweight, breathable metallized fabric that reflects heat, masking the wearer’s thermal signature so they won’t show up in thermal imaging scans. Two of the designs are inspired by Muslim garments, including the burqa and scarf. “Conceptually, these garments align themselves with the rationale behind the traditional hijab and burqa: to act as ‘the veil which separates man or the world from God,’ replacing God with drone,” says Harvey.

Stealth Wear Anti-Drone Fashion 4

These garments aren’t intended to be serious gear for survivalists looking to elude The Man. They’re fashion, Harvey explains, exploring the ways in which we can interact and aestheticize our culture of rising surveillance. Technically, even the small parts that aren’t covered by the garments, like the hands and face, can give you away. The OFF Pocket, however, is definitely usable: it’s a flexible waterproof cover fitting most sizes of phones, including Nexus and iPhones, that blocks all incoming and outgoing call signals.

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Stealth Wear Anti-Drone Fashion 6

If you want to avoid facial recognition software determining your identity, you’ll have to get even more creative. Developed as his master’s thesis, Harvey’s project CV Dazzle attempted to find makeup and hair styles that would elude recognition. This collaboration between hair stylists, makeup artists and fashion designers used custom software that exposes the vulnerabilities of the OpenCV face detection algorithm, creating styles that exploit these weaknesses. The looks are definitely a bit cyber-punk, but it’s interesting to see them gain a little practicality. Check out an article on ‘how to hide from machines’ that explores more of these techniques at DISmagazine.