10/09/2026
Couldn’t have said it any better!
Let’s talk about watermarks, photo purchases, and supporting local photographers! 📸🤍
I wanted to take a moment to share something that I feel is important, especially as we continue through another busy sports season!
Many of you have probably noticed that my sports galleries have watermarks across the images, and you may have wondered why. Unfortunately, recently I’ve had a few instances where photos have been screenshotted with watermarks have being removed using editing tools or AI, and images have even been enhanced to higher resolutions to avoid purchasing the original photo.
AI has become a part of our everyday lives, and while it can be an incredible tool, just like anything else, there’s a right and wrong way to use it. I have nothing against AI or the opportunities it provides, but using it to remove watermarks or enhance screenshots to avoid purchasing someone’s work crosses a line. Technology may make things easier, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of someone else’s hard work, time, and livelihood. Just because we have the ability to do something doesn’t always mean we should.
Because of these situations, I will be implementing a new watermark on my sports galleries moving forward.
But I also want to explain why purchasing a photo means so much more than you might realize.
For many of the sporting events I attend, I am not paid to be there. I choose to spend my own time traveling to games, standing on the sidelines, capturing the action, and spending hours afterward sorting through and editing hundreds, sometimes thousands, of images.
Why? Because I genuinely LOVE what I do. I love capturing the moments that athletes, families, schools, and communities will be able to look back on years from now. From the biggest victories to the toughest losses, those moments deserve to be remembered.
However, photography is also my full-time business and my livelihood. Just like everyone else, I have bills to pay, gas to put in my car, equipment to maintain, and everyday expenses. I also work a part-time job alongside running my business.
When you purchase a photo, you’re supporting so much more than just that one image.
That $5 or $10 helps put gas in my car to travel to the next game, covers the hours spent editing, helps maintain my equipment, and sometimes even helps pay for a quick meal between events. Most importantly, it allows me to continue showing up and capturing these memories for our local athletes and communities.
And I want to make something very clear: I never want the price of a photo to be the reason someone can’t have a memory of themselves or their athlete.
If $5 or $10 is outside your budget, please reach out to me! I’m always happy to have a conversation and see what we can work out. I will also be offering photo bundle deals throughout the regular season, allowing families to purchase multiple images at a discounted price.
I understand that not everyone can afford to purchase photos, and I never expect everyone to. All I ask is that you please respect the time, work, and effort that go into creating them. Removing a watermark doesn’t just affect a photo sale; it affects a small business that works hard to continue providing these memories.
I’ve spent years building my photography business, and I am incredibly grateful for the athletes, parents, coaches, schools, and communities who continue to support me, whether that’s through purchasing photos, sharing my work with proper credit, or simply offering a kind word.
I don’t do this because I expect everyone to buy a photo. I do this because I believe these moments matter. 🤍
Thank you for understanding, respecting my work, and helping me continue doing something I love so much.
— Kylie Schepers Photography 📸
