1. A method, operating on a processor associated with a printing system, for determining a location for an image-wise watermark in relation to a target image stored in memory associated with the printing system, comprising: analyzing the target image by dividing the target image into a plurality of smaller areas and determining a characteristic metric for each of the areas thereof; determining, based upon the characteristic metric, at least one of a plurality of smaller areas for the image-wise watermark image to be overlaid onto the target image, wherein the characteristic metric is image value range and is determined as a function of the range of image data within areas of the target image; and the printing system then overlaying the image-wise watermark at the at least one of a plurality of smaller areas when the target image is printed.