Let's see your business card!

[jgbeam]

Since I do have a small (tiny) but regular market for some of my photos, I'm thinking of designing a business card, one which I could easily modify for different targets. Would any of the pros be willing to post their cards for some inspiration? :)

Thanks,
Jim

[IndyJeff]

Hell no, I don't want you stealing my ideas!!!




Well, not really, you can design your own card pretty easy at Vistaprints (http://vistaprint.com) and they are pretty reasonable on price. Watch for specials they will have running. I just recieved an email a few days ago about 250 cards, free.

[jgbeam]

Hell no, I don't want you stealing my ideas!!!




Well, not really, you can design your own card pretty easy at Vistaprints (http://vistaprint.com) and they are pretty reasonable on price. Watch for specials they will have running. I just recieved an email a few days ago about 250 cards, free.

Hey, I know all about those sites! I want something as flashy as yours. :wink: 8)

Jim

[IndyJeff]

LOL See you do want to steal my ideas!!!

[stopbath]

The first consideration is what do you want the card to say to the reader about your business. Do you want to be flexable, reliable, calculating, down to business, no nonsense expert, jack of all trades, specialized...

Chosing a font style and layout style will impart a "flavour" to the card. If the flavour is not in jive with your text, you'll confuse the reader.

Suggest getting a book from the library on desktop publishing, or layout to get some ideas on styles and what they can mean.

[Ogrt48]

Well I guess I'll share mine, here it is.
http://matt.teptrix.com/images/card.jpg

[defordphoto]

My simple card...

http://racefamily.racinglines.com/MiscPhotos/DeFordPhotoBizCard.jpg

[jgbeam]

Thanks for sharing. That's a nice informative card, well composed and graphically attractive. I need something along those lines, that can be printed in quantities, but I also think it would be nice to have a more specialized set of cards as well, each directed toward a specfic market. In my case it would be architecture, performing arts and portrait. I could include a representative photo on each one and make them in small runs.

Do you think your card has produced any business? Do you actively market your services or rely on referral and repeat work?

Thanks,

Jim

[Conk]

I used Vistaprint. Their deals can't be beat.
http://www.shuttertalk.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10060/clover-card%20edit.jpg

[Mitchkitter]

awwhh rfm, no phone # baby? :P


on the serious note, as the above poster asked....

Do you think your cards generate anything for you?

[Andy_T]

Well I guess I'll share mine, here it is.
http://matt.teptrix.com/images/card.jpg

OGRT,

do you cater to a special style of photography?

I'm just curious.

Maybe it's my biblical age (35), but the 'sailor moon' theme (I suppose that is what you are referring to) doesen't ring a bell - photographically - for me.

Best regards,
Andy

[defordphoto]

My card has definitely generated business. But, my website has generated more.

[Digital Prophet]

Well I am just starting out and am looking to get my cards printed. Since I plan to have one key market, but also do work in others I wanted to have cards that reflected that. So I am planning to get several card styles printed. Eventually, if I can find a printer that will work with me (and I think I have), I would like to have two different cards for my key market (horse photography) and others that will have designs that feature general types of photography (product, portrait, stock, etc.).

So without more rambling, here are the designs I have thus far. Unfortunately my day job got so busy I haven't finished this project yet.

1 (http://www.thedigitographer.com/temp/1.JPG)
2 (http://www.thedigitographer.com/temp/2.JPG)
3 (http://www.thedigitographer.com/temp/3.JPG)
4 (http://www.thedigitographer.com/temp/4.JPG)

- Digital Prophet -

[Mitchkitter]

i dunno, maybe you do stuff with horses or something...

but i'd vote for #1 faster than....... hell nevermind...

#1 is cool.

[Digital Prophet]

Yeah I do alot of horse photography. Now that I read it, I didn't write that post very well.

But thanks for the kind words.

- Digital Prophet -

[stopbath]

I like #4 the best. Simple clean shot with lot's of interest.

As for the horses. The shots don't really transfer into a small shot too well. Both backgrounds are rather busy. Perhaps a simple wall, field, or sunset background for either.

[PhotosGuy]

Being semi-retired, I don't need a lot of them, so I target them & print them 3-up on a 4X6 pic. Here are 3 different ones:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/Bus-Cards_Demo_WEB_01.jpg

[jgbeam]

Nice cards, Frank. The targeted cards, printed in small batches, is probably the way I'll eventually go. I'll never be distributing them in large quantities.

Jim

[Mitchkitter]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/Mitchkitter/Bizcard.jpg

meh, i tryed

[Conk]

Mitch, isn't your site active yet?

[Mitchkitter]

hahahahah huge oops, posted the old card.

current website address is www.kitterphotography.com

I tryed updating the card, but my host just went down, i'll update tomorwo :)

[Mitchkitter]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/Mitchkitter/bizcardupdate.jpg

[jgbeam]

Elegant card, Mitch. Very appealing.

Jim

[AprilShowers]

PHotoGuy-great idea, your card is SMART! its like a comp card for photographers *wink*I LIKE IT! Good font, too.

personal story here (everyone sit on the carpet and cross your legs indian style): i'm a weenie about telling people I do photography. In the early mornin' hours, I found the gumption to create a basic business card and elaminate it. I held on to the cards for weeks, too nervous to give them out. There was an op that I passed up, frustrated, I started handing out my card (oh what the hell) and VOILA, people actually called.

Should've done it sooner. :twisted:

Does anyone else have this pic stagefright, or am I truly, Queen of the weenies? :roll:

[Conk]

If you don't post an image of your card then you trully are a weenie! :lol:

[cmM]

when it comes to business cards I preffer simple and elegant design. My card has my name, profession, phone# and website...
I don't have a pic, but it half of the card shows in the flash animation on my fron page:

www.cmuntean.net

[SSonnentag]

I'm not a professional photographer, but here's my card. :D
http://sonnentag.net/temp/Foxy-Software-Sample.jpg


And this is what I wanted to use as my signature on this site, but apparently the img tag isn't allowed in signatures.... Obviously, I don't have the 1DSM2 yet, but it's on order! :)
http://sonnentag.net/temp/Canon-Signature.gif

[pradeep1]

If you guys have business cards, then why are you hiding the contact info. on them? :?

[robertwgross]

If we were potential customers, then we might have need to know contact numbers. However, since we are forum members here, there's a good chance that we would be competitors instead, so there is very little to be gained by giving out the numbers here.

---Bob Gross---

[cricket]

I have a card on cardstock, and also made some photo cards as well for pregnancy portraits, as well as portraits, weddings, racing, etc. It is very inexpensive to do, and I can print as many or few as I wish. I made a template in Photoshop and make a JPEG of it and print it out at a lab. I just have to cut them. They are real photos, which is fun, and I get lots of referrals from them.

I posted two for you to look at, minus the contact info"

1 (http://www.jovipak.com/cards/bus.jpg)
2 (http://www.jovipak.com/cards/bus2.jpg)

[pradeep1]

If we were potential customers, then we might have need to know contact numbers. However, since we are forum members here, there's a good chance that we would be competitors instead, so there is very little to be gained by giving out the numbers here.

---Bob Gross---


nor much to be lost by giving out the numbers here... ;)

I don't think I have ever seen any business people blank out any information on their cards, even if their competitors had access to them. :confused:

[cricket]

I don't think I have ever seen any business people blank out any information on their cards, even if their competitors had access to them. :confused:
My first post on the EOS forum generated so much "stuff" I was quite happy no one had my personal info.

[defordphoto]

nor much to be lost by giving out the numbers here... ;)

I don't think I have ever seen any business people blank out any information on their cards, even if their competitors had access to them. :confused:

And your point is....?

Do you want all our contact info by raising up this oldie-moldie thread?

As an aside, many of us operate our small businesses from our homes, hence the blackout.

[Vegas Poboy]

Well Since I started my venture a year ago I've gone through 4 designs, here is the new one of the year.
Yes I deleted my address and I do shoot location only, Friends & family within my home.

www.bp-photos.com/card

[Mike Panic]

here is the horizontal card im using now:


http://www.mikepanic.com/photos/albums/randomsingles/abb.jpg

and the vertical one ill be printing when i start to get low on this one:

http://www.mikepanic.com/photos/albums/randomsingles/abd.jpg

[pradeep1]

Very nice and creative Mike Panic. I like the vertical format one more than the horiztonal one. :cool:

[PhotosGuy]

Well, the subject comes up all the time, like right now. Since we can't save a search & post the link, I'm bumping it again so I can link to it on page 1 instead of having to find what page it's on back in the dark ages. ;)
Delete it again if you want. :D

[pasi]

hey, here comes my cards... I made- or one AD made- whole sheet of different cards for me. We used my photos to backround of cards... Here comes full sheet and some cards of it.

http://pasisalminen.com/card/pasisalminen_businesscard_sheet.jpg
http://pasisalminen.com/card/card1.jpg
http://pasisalminen.com/card/card2.jpg
http://pasisalminen.com/card/card3.jpg
http://pasisalminen.com/card/card4.jpg
http://pasisalminen.com/card/card5.jpg
http://pasisalminen.com/card/card6.jpg

ps. colors and sharpnes of phots are not correct. that is some preview what AD send to me.

[Crypto]

This is not really a business card, but a simple information card I put with my photos on display.
It may help generate some ideas. I just took a picture of my camera