Cut the crap & get to the point:
File > Batch conversion… > Advanced > Add overlay text > Settings
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Numero uno: Get IrfanView and its plug-ins. <–clickety click!
(note: Download the “ALL Plug-Ins as one large EXE” as recommended by IrfanView.)
Now install IrfanView. Then install the plug-ins. Very simple process.
Why IrfanView? I’ve mentioned a little about it in my ‘killer softwares I use‘ post.
IrfanView has been one of the most powerful but simple softwares out there. It’s only 1.3MB + another 8MB of codec plug-ins. With this, it can almost play any media there is out there. From various photo format including RAW to videos to MP3s. If I have an unknown media that I want to play, I always run IrfanView first. Though its prowess and main function remain in photo viewing and editing. There is just so many neat tricks that it can do. All there is to do is search the web, or explore it yourself.
Back to batch watermarking. (Here’s for you, Debbie and other debutantes)
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Run/start/open IrfanView.
File > Batch conversion/Rename… B (or just press the ‘B’ shortcut button)
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This is the batch conversion dialogue window.
Top right is to select the photos you want to process. Bottom right is the photos added that will be processed.
On the left side now. The top: ‘Batch conversion’ is to do the conversions and replacing the original file. ‘Batch rename’ will copy the files with new names into the folder you specified (it will replace your original file if you choose to use original name in the same folder). ‘Batch conversion – Rename result files’ will do whatever conversion you specified, and then put them into a folder you choose with a new name.
Looking at screenshot 2, the file name I used was ‘xw$N’… ‘DSC_4754 Viennese Ball KL 08 – 62′ —> ‘xwDSC_4754 Viennese Ball KL 08 – 62′.
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Now that you’ve added the photos to be process, selected the output directory… it should look like this:
Click ‘Options’ in the ‘output format’ box. I normally use 100% to ensure there is not lose of quality every time I save a picture. I only select 90-95% when it is the last step and I want to limit its files size (which incidentally is the resize step too).
Select ‘Use advanced options’ then click ‘Advanced’ (where the mouse pointer is located)…
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… and a new dialogue window will appear:
Crop: I don’t use it to batch crop my photos. Each photo is different, so I use Lightroom instead. But you’ll never know, it may come in handy one day. =)
Resize: Besides watermarking, I wanted to resize the photos for Facebook. Facebook only displays up to 600 pixels wide (horizontal). A larger photo takes more time to upload. Select ’set long side to:’ , type in 600 (or whatever you like) on the box next to it, and choose ‘pixels’. Inches and cm is too unpredictable because it depends on DPI… too mah fan to count.
Select ‘Preserve aspect ration’, if not your photos will come out squeezed or stretched.
Load & save setting: You can save all these adjustments (crop, resize, change colour depth, misc., etc) and load them later. Can save multiple adjustment setting for future use!
Change colour depth: Un-select, unless you want your photos’ colour to become cartoons/comic.
Add overlay text (mouse pointer): Use this for watermarking. Select it and click ‘Settings’
Other setting on right column: I don’t bother because my photos are already marinated and baked before this.
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I wanted my watermark on the bottom right. Then I typed in my signature and chose my font. Note that the larger your photos, the bigger the font size you need. Size 12 on a 6 megapixel photo (3008 x 2000) is virtually invisible.
The ‘X & Y-coord’ is how far the text will be from the edge of the photos. Note I entered 15 (pixels) for ‘Y-coord’ (you’ll see later).
As for ‘width’ & ‘height’, go as big as possible. This is how big the area your text can appear. If the ‘Width’ is too small, your text will be wrapped into several lines or get squeezed.
Make sure ‘Text is transparent’ is selected. If not you’ll get a coloured/white/black box with words inside.
Now click ‘OK’!
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Click ‘OK’ for the ‘advanced’ option dialogue box too.
Almost there…
Back to the ‘Batch conversion’ dialogue box. Check the ‘output format’ options, the ‘rename settings’, make sure the ‘output directory’ are all correct.
Click ‘Start Batch’…
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Processing…
It’ll show you what it’s doing during processing. If you have a same photo in the folder, the ‘warning’ will show that the files have not been processed.
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At last… 
Notice the file name? ‘xw’ is added to the front of the name.
Also notice that a 3008 x 2000 photo has been resized to 600 x 398 pixels. If I had use 90% (in jpeg options), the file size might be around 100 KB, easy to upload to Facebook.
Here’s how the real photo looks like after resize and watermarking…
Note: remember the number ‘15′ I entered on Y-coord and ‘3′ on X-coord (screenshot 5)?
The watermark is 15 points away from the bottom, and 3 points away from the side.
Three gorgeous debutantes from the Viennese Ball KL 2008 graciously modelled for this photo.
That’s Sara, Lisa and Catherine.
Oh, did I mention that I’m also a debutante too? W()()t!
Waltzing about,
the Débutante/
Tiu Nia Sing, Long live King Edmund…….NOT