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Photo database

It is important to test an image watermarking software on many different images and for fair comparison the same set of sample images should always be used. Pictures can be interesting from the signal processing point of view: textured/smooth areas, size, synthetic, with straight edges, sharp, blur, brightness/contrast, etc. They should also cover a broad range of contents and types. It is impossible to get an exhaustive list of classes of pictures and stock photo companies have a lot of difficulties to set up a satisfactory index. However one can at least retain the main themes that are common among these libraries and that are used very often in the press in order to keep a wide range of kind of pictures: colours, textures, patterns, shapes, lightning.

Some image databases already exist for image processing research. The USC-SIPI Image Database is an example of such database where one can find the ‘classics’: lena, baboon, peppers, etc. Using these databases for research on digital watermarking and indeed copyright protection is somewhat hypocritical as ‘some of the images in the database were scanned from copyrighted material’ and the ‘origin of many is unknown’. Consequently we tried to find a wide range of other photographs and got the authorisation to use them freely for research on watermarking (including publication in proceedings or journals) as long as credit is given to the photographer.

Terms of use

Owner agreement

Here is a copy of the agreement that the owner of the pictures presented on this page signed:

I, <Name of the owner>, whose address is <Address of the owner>, certify that I own the copyright of the images shown underneath and agree to give them for research purpose to the Academic Research Community (image processing and digital watermarking) as long as credit is given to me:

<Photos of the owner>

I understand that, since the above images will spread in the Research Community, I will not be able to change my mind on this agreement.

Signature and date:

<Signature of the owner>

Computer generated images

[Download picture] Waterfall. Copyright image courtesy of Sascha Ledinsky (sascha.l@usa.net).
Second place winner at the Internet Raytracing Competition.
[Download picture] Always running, never the same.... Copyright image courtesy of Jaime Vives Piqueres (jaime@ctav.es).
First place winner at the Internet Raytracing Competition.
[Download picture] Pocket Watch on a Gold Chain. Copyright image courtesy of Kevin Odhner (jko@home.com)

Bright colours photos

[Download picture] Wildflowers. Copyright photos courtesy of Robert E. Barber, Barber Nature Photography (REBarber@msn.com)
[Download picture] Localised corrosion on an electropolished Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. Copyright photo courtesy of Gérald Deshais.
[Download picture] Pills. Copyright photo courtesy of Karel de Gendre

Reduced colour set & dark colours photos

[Download picture] Bandon beach. Copyright photo courtesy of Robert E. Barber, Barber Nature Photography (REBarber@msn.com)
[Download picture] Fontaine des Terreaux. Copyright photo courtesy of Éric Labouré
[Download picture] Brandy rose. Copyright photo courtesy of Toni Lankerd
[Download picture] Fourvière Cathedral, north wall. F. A. P. Petitcolas.

Photos with textures & fine details

[Download picture] Black Bear. Copyright photos courtesy of Robert E. Barber, Barber Nature Photography (REBarber@msn.com)
[Download picture] Kid. Copyright photo courtesy of Karel de Gendre
[Download picture] Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. Gérald Deshais, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge.
USC texture mosaic #1. Courtesy of the Signal and Image Processing Institute at the University of Southern California.
[Download picture] Loch Ness. Copyright photo courtesy of Patrick Loo, University of Cambridge (patrickl@autonomy.com)

Photos with lines & edges

[Download picture] Paper machine. Copyright photo courtesy of Karel de Gendre
[Download picture] Skyline Arch. Copyright photo courtesy of Robert E. Barber, Barber Nature Photography (REBarber@msn.com)
[Download picture] Pueblo Bonito. Copyright photo courtesy of Robert E. Barber, Barber Nature Photography (REBarber@msn.com)
[Download picture] Opera House of Lyon
[Download picture] F15. Copyright photo courtesy of Toni Lankerd
[Download picture] New-York. Copyright photo courtesy of Patrick Loo, University of Cambridge (patrickl@autonomy.com)

Photos with smooth areas

[Download picture] Arctic Hare. Copyright photos courtesy of Robert E. Barber, Barber Nature Photography (REBarber@msn.com)

Other photos

[Download picture] Cleavage of Intermetallics and Hydrogen Embrittlement in an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. Gérald Deshais, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge.

Classics

These are the classic images that have been used for years in signal processing. The copyright status of these images in unclear but we provide them for completeness.

[Download picture] Baboon. Courtesy of the Signal and Image Processing Institute at the University of Southern California.
[Download picture] F16. Courtesy of the Signal and Image Processing Institute at the University of Southern California.
[Download picture] Fishing boat. Courtesy of the Signal and Image Processing Institute at the University of Southern California.
[Download picture] Lena. Courtesy of the Signal and Image Processing Institute at the University of Southern California.
[Download picture] Peppers. Courtesy of the Signal and Image Processing Institute at the University of Southern California.
[Download picture] Pentagon. Courtesy of the Signal and Image Processing Institute at the University of Southern California.