Business cards

[Worm324]

I was working on a new business card today and I think it looks pretty cool. I would love to here your thoughts on it As you could imagine, picking the 6 photos was really tuff!!

I tried to keep it simple and to the point with only the key information. I plan on using this at events where I can write the persons image # on the back of the card for an example. I want to add a phone # to it, but I didn't get my new phone yet so..

I also want the card to be something the customer will look at for a minute or so.

The card itself will have rounded corners as well to help make it different than the average card.



Thanks in advance for any thoughts or feedback!

Best,
Jay

[kenwae]

I think it could be very nice. My questions are, with six pictures on a 2 x 3 card, will it be too busy, or the card too small for six? Do you want to emphasize the non people, landscape, scenic kind of photography because you have 3 of those. Of those three, could one be an interior shot of a business, or home...depending on what you want to promote. What about an adult portrait? You have two b/w, what about making one sepia? Just a few thoughts....-Ken

[Inked Photography]

for me it is too busy. I understand you want it eye catching. But yet at the same time it needs simplicity. Plus, I feel a business card needs to reflect who you are as a photographer. Me, Inked Photography, I target the tattoo, industrial, pin-up, retro type industry. So I need to reflect that. I would go with your target area. If you don't have a specific style you are shooting for and want to be a great photographer in several areas. Nothing wrong with that. But if that is the case. I would go with designing your own logo, choosing colors, a nice scroll, and take it from there. Here is my card. I feel it reflects me and who I target.

[Worm324]

Thanks for the feedback guys!! I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions For the most part I am trying to target Portrait's and selling my Landscape work. I have a big event coing up where a whole bunch of families will be getting portraits done. I was hoping to have a nice new card to hand out to them as they leave. This way they go to the website and hopefully look for some gift ideas or something??

Thanks again,
Jay

[Alfred D.]

Any particular reason for the abberrant aspect ratio of your business card, inked? Or are these the two – apparently unconnected – sides of it?
And how does a shot with on-camera flashgun demonstrate photo skills beyond the snapshot type?

[Inked Photography]

Originally Posted by Alfred D.

Any particular reason for the abberrant aspect ratio of your business card, inked? Or are these the two – apparently unconnected – sides of it?
And how does a shot with on-camera flashgun demonstrate photo skills beyond the snapshot type?

ok, this was done in a studio with lights. The card itself was what was sent to me for approval. That's just the layout. Front and back.

[Alfred D.]

Originally Posted by Inked Photography

ok, this was done in a studio with lights.

As my comment may have illustrated, that is not the impression that comes across.

The card itself was what was sent to me for approval. That's just the layout. Front and back.

Two-sided business cards are very considerably more expensive to print than one-sided ones. Single-sided business cards afford the convenient possibility of scribbling a note on its empty other side. And if you do decide on a two-sided card, making the 2 sides of similar appearance, so that they clearly belong together and are in fact one concept/design, would be my choice.
Any special reason for the capital 'I' to be smaller than the other letters in the small print? Also, that URL does not provide free access to your website! So why include it on a business card?

Just a few musings.

[Mark McCall]

Jason,
First off.....outstanding images you've chosen. Simply beautiful.

Cool idea of rounding the card edges. That will defintely make the card stand out.

My only suggestion would be not to target all of your clientele with one card.
I'm seeing Portrait, Pet Portrait, Fine Art and Landscape images all on one card, and the images are too small at that.

I'd cut it down to one, maybe two images on the card, max.
Then make different cards for different market targets.

[Worm324]

Mark,

Thank you very much for the feedback and suggestions I'll take that idea and run with it! I'm thinking 2 portraits on 1 card and then another card with Landscapes ect.. The cards are cheap enough these that it just makes sense

Best,
Jay

[Alfred D.]

Originally Posted by Worm324

Interesting design, Worm. It's as if you couldn't make up your mind which photo to display so you ended up displaying 6 of them. All of them 'stealing' the others' limelight. The net result of course is that none of them gets the attention it deserves.
Also, that design looks great at this size. But business cards aren't that size!
The huge white borders force the images down to a considerably smaller size than they would otherwise need to be.
And finally, when reduced to business card size people may see dark grey shadows in the middle of the intersections between the photos. Of course those aren't really there, but the human eye does see them anyway. It's a well-known optical illusion.

[daveor]

I also think the photos will be too small to see, why not print some cards up yourself and see what you like,, then if you want. have them printed up later after you like the design you have? I print my own cards and can change the design whenever I desire. No rounded corners etc, but they are cheap, and I figure most people won't be hanging them on the wall so if they fade, who cares, plus you can target whatever market you like by changing the design or photo. Just my 2¢ worth. DAve

[Alfred D.]

Originally Posted by daveor

[...] can change the design whenever I desire.
[...] by changing the design or photo

You won't exactly build or support a corporate image by regularly changing it. In fact quite the opposite is true: it'll confuse the target audience.

When you have a logo designed for business (a 'corporate identity') it will only actually work as such if you keep it the same, i.e. recognizable, in all your communications for a looong time.

Many people tend to frequently change their corporate design as the mood takes them. They forget that logos are meant to 'register' with a target audience and convey a certain image. Logos are not intended to please the 'owner'. That would be onanimous (yes, that's the correct spelling).

[rlcphotos39]

a friend of mine has cards like this only the photos are done on the vertical with her site phone number and a brief senario of what is done,,,really nice card