Business card Ideas

HogHunter · Jul 22, 2004

Dark Eyes,

I stand by my earlier assertion; a business card is intended to convey your personal and corporate information. I will concede Karalees point that a headshot would be useful.

Having said that this is only my opinion, I am curious though about why you feel compelled to add a photographic image to your business card. Can you please elaborate on your rationale?

Pigman

pomme · Jul 22, 2004

DarkEyes said:
Perhaps they do look Amatueristic, However I believe that if they can Be done correctly, they may be worth the effort. I have put some more thought into it, and have come up with one I believe to be worthwhile posting. Beware, The one posted is only a JPEG, and not representative of how clear it truely appears.

I still think it looks too busy. Your text is confusing and the red text is very hard to read over the picture. Try to use contrasting colours when you use text on a background. For instance, the background of your picture is grey so you could try white text. I think you need to make it look a lot simpler though.

DarkEyes · Jul 22, 2004

I will, only because I am fairly much a newbie and would like to get a grip on what is cosidered the norm.

My reasoning (to me) is simple: If your trying to promote your abilities as a photographer, why not give an example of your work on a bussiness card. After all, first impressions DO count.

Anyway, Thats my 'rationale' on this subject. I do not as yet Have a business, meaning I have No Business name for the card as yet However, I am looking to start A business in the near future. For now though, I'm only doing odd-jobs for my co-workers.

When I eventually get my kit though (sometime this year I hope), I will be seeking employment With either the local papers, or The Photographic Studio in my City.

HogHunter · Jul 22, 2004

Dark Eyes,

I couldn't agree more first impressions DO count! Photographic business cards give the first impression of an amateur. They are way too small to convey the quality of your work.

Build a portfolio show that to your clients. Let's face it, you are not going to simply walk around handing out your business card without someone expressing some interest. Your portfolio can easily be both electronic and hard copy. You can have the website on your busiess card. Also, you could burn it to a business card sized cd rom.

By the way, I would also recommend that you get your own domain name. Using a free web/email service also looks amatueristic as well. A domain can cost as little as $15 per month.

I hope I haven't been too hard on you. I am just trying to give you the benefit of someone who has been in business for 25 years.

Good luck.

Sharkbait · Jul 22, 2004

HogHunter said:
Dark Eyes,

I couldn't agree more first impressions DO count! Photographic business cards give the first impression of an amateur. They are way too small to convey the quality of your work.

Build a portfolio show that to your clients. Let's face it, you are not going to simply walk around handing out your business card without someone expressing some interest. Your portfolio can easily be both electronic and hard copy. You can have the website on your busiess card. Also, you could burn it to a business card sized cd rom.

By the way, I would also recommend that you get your own domain name. Using a free web/email service also looks amatueristic as well. A domain can cost as little as $15 per month.

I hope I haven't been too hard on you. I am just trying to give you the benefit of someone who has been in business for 25 years.

Good luck.

My domain registration is only $3 or $4 a month through godaddy.com . VERY affordable!!

Anybody know where to get those little business card sized CD-Rs?

HogHunter · Jul 22, 2004

Does $3 include hosting? I bought 100 of the cards a while ago and haven't used many of them. I would be willing to send you a few if you give me you address.

StvShoop · Jul 22, 2004

about the business card cd's
http://www.cddigitalcard.com/template.htm
the shape-y ones are cool :shock:

Sharkbait · Jul 22, 2004

HogHunter said:
Does $3 include hosting? I bought 100 of the cards a while ago and haven't used many of them. I would be willing to send you a few if you give me you address.

Oh wait, it's the $4 or so that's for hosting. Or maybe it's $7. Registration is I think $15 a year.

Screw it, lemme go check...
Yeah, $8.95 a year to register the domain, and I pay $7.95 a month for hosting (but you can get it for as little as $3.95).

Sure, if you'd be willing to part with a few of them, I'd like to give those cards a try... John Wikman, 789 Morgan Way, Greenwood, IN 46143.

:thumbsup:

HogHunter · Jul 22, 2004

I will see if I can get some sent out tomorrow.

angelucapet · Jul 22, 2004

On the subject of photographic business cards:

I agree that a business card should be clean and simple. However, I don't think it is a bad idea to have one simple photo on the card to represent your work. I have received business cards from photographers in the past both with and without a picture on them. And here are my thoughts:

Business cards with a montage of pictures: WAY too busy (and I have come to this conclusion recently after really sitting down and thinking about it). All of the pictures distract from the card. However, it does work better if you have the montage on the back and the contact info on the front.

Business cards with no pictures: It loses my attention and from a purely marketing standpoint doesn't really endear me to the photographer. Like Karalee mentioned, I like to have something to remember the photographer by. Whether it be a piece of their work or a headshot.

Business cards with one picture: I really like these personally. It lets me see an example of the photographer's work as well as provides the contact information. It stands out to me better than no picture would.

Everyone is going to have varying opinions on this. I don't think having a photo on the business card comes across as being less professional at all. I guess the way I am looking at it is "Who are you giving the cards out to?". Once you determine that, then figure out what route you want to take.

What are your views on model's business cards? Have any models you've worked with had them? What do you prefer to actually be handed?

DarkEyes: As for the most recent card you put up, I am definitely going to agree with the rest. It is too busy and the red blends into the background too much. I guess to give an example of what would not be too busy would be if you used your avatar on your card. Put the dark box on a white card on say the right hand side (so it only takes up maybe half of the card) and then your contact information on the left. Or vice versa. You can also design it so that it is vertical instead of horizontal. Just an idea.

ksmattfish · Jul 22, 2004

HogHunter said:
Having said that this is only my opinion, I am curious though about why you feel compelled to add a photographic image to your business card. Can you please elaborate on your rationale?

I think it really depends on who you are handing the card to. I'm shooting weddings and portraits. My experience with bridal fairs and baby shows is that if the cards have a photo on them people pick them up out of a stack on the table, and take one. Business cards without a photo are only taken by the folks you actually get a chance to talk to. Sure, most of these folks don't call, but if even one hires me it's paid for 1000 cards easy.

It has to be a photo that can handle being displayed that small. It's difficult to restrain myself to a detail or crop of a larger image, but it usually looks better in the long run.

nikon90s · Jul 22, 2004

One thing that you HAVE TO HAVE!!!! What do you do? I see your name and email but have no clue from your card what business you are in or what the heck you are trying to sell me. With out what kind of business youre in a business card is JUNK. When you make it really big you can go back to just your name.

As to your cards looks, IMO, you need to come up with a theme. Take sharks card for example, from what I can see White shark is not his name or even a part of it (maybe he can tell up how he came up with it) anyway it works. I don't know how many people I see in a day and how many Business cards I run into. I would remember something like sharks card because it is more then just his name. Where as just your name goes in one ear and out the other. He has a theme and you can tell what he is selling, that is why you are giving people your card in the first place to sell them something right. I am bad with names and remember what pics I see more then I would remember his name, so if I see a pic of a sharks jaw I will be more likely to remember it. If you want to call your self MOON Photography and have a Shot of a Moon THAT YOU SHOT then you got a good start. I am thinking an all white card with a light gray moon in the back ground and in the center you could have MOON PHOTOGRAPHY and at the bottom you could have your infoalso drop the shadow effect in your type it is not working.

Just my 2 cents..

simnine · Jul 22, 2004

Sharkbait · Jul 22, 2004

nikon90s said:
(maybe he can tell up how he came up with it)

I like sharks.

For a bit more info, I keep saltwater aquariums, and used to have a hatchling brown nurse shark in my living room (rescued her from a pet store that was going out of biz and was going to kill her). I've been hooked on sharks ever since.

Lyanna · Jul 23, 2004

Before Simnine posted his businesscard, I wanted to say: keep your background as tranquil as possible. His card is very attractive however *I am a sucker for the color green though, maybe that's the trick

*. What I think is very important is that you don't clutter up your business card too much, don't use many different fonts or different colored fonts.

Stick to one photograph if you must and make sure that you state your name, profession and where you can be reached in a very clear font which is easily readable.