Marketing

[Sisters_photography]

I have a friend that I 'm trading work for I Photograph the covers for her Magazines and she put my name on the front and I get a free 6th of a page ad in the Magazine. I need some help with the new ad deadline in first week in March. This is going to be for a spring special that I will be running.

Can you help pick a picture to go on the ad.
1)
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd307/lofton/a1c294e1.jpg

2)
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd307/lofton/a9f90119.jpg

3)
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd307/lofton/030722a9.jpg

4)
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd307/lofton/c28f5977.jpg

5)
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd307/lofton/0cc55948.jpg

[Subyn00by]

3 or 5

[Sisters_photography]

3 or 5


Thank you those are the two that I like, I just want to get a poll from member of this great forum:)

[ssim]

I like number 3 and think that 4 would work if you got rid of the wrinkles in the backdrop, something similar to what I have done in the attached.

[DVS_WiNdz]

I like 3 and 4 too.

[Box Brownie]

Hi

Please take anything I say with a pinch of salt as I do not have earn my living from photography but as you asked for thoughts & feedback :D

Firstly a 1/6 of a page is a smallish area and any image that you pick must grab the attention of your target audience in about 3 seconds that most folk will glance at the page ~ incidentaly has the magazine told you the actual orientation of the space i.e. portrait or landscape?

Secondly as it is 'your spring special' who is/are your target audience for the spring "push"?

Lastly, as for the image to use. Well with the caveat of the target audience I like #2, #4 & #5.

To offer a critque, I think:-

#1 looks too much like a snapshot and does not "shout" 'I take great portraits'

#2 looks natural,relaxed and happy couple (aspirational ~ this is how 'we' want to look) though granted the heads positioning is not the classic

#3 they look tense and the hand/arms positioning looks strained & uncomfortable (her body shape is not flattering what with her stomach bulging out) also with all that clutter in the background it suggests too little attention to detail especially the hosepipe

#4 is a cute one and IMO ssim's edit does improve it but I have to ask why didn't you cut the makers tags off of the toys ~ makes me think you are selling "ty" bears

#5 is just a classic photographers "look" type of image i.e. very good and highly usable

Best of luck :)

[Rellik]

#4 is a cute one and IMO ssim's edit does improve it but I have to ask why didn't you cut the makers tags off of the toys ~ makes me think you are selling "ty" bears

I'm not big on ty bears, but I think it is a sin for collectors to take the tag off! Their value drops a lot without the tags. :) But I know what you are getting at. Get some other toys!


I like #2 for the pose, but the overexposed background isn't working for me.

Maybe post more from that shoot.

[Box Brownie]

I'm not big on ty bears, but I think it is a sin for collectors to take the tag off! Their value drops a lot without the tags. :) But I know what you are getting at. Get some other toys!


I like #2 for the pose, but the overexposed background isn't working for me.

Maybe post more from that shoot.

Re TY bears - not being in the USA I had no idea TY bears were considered so collectable. In that case, yes use some other non tagged toys IMO.

Hmm! yes #2 does have the background blown but compared to #3 it is usable for purpose?

:)

[S.Horton]

Off the top of my head........

Option 1:

Black background, white copy:
"If you enjoyed the cover photo, and you need a photographer for any occasion, please contact me."

Option 2:
Miniature of the cover, just put an e-mail address on it as follows -- "Photographer: dfsalklkdfsjkjls@bla.net, any occasion, your location or ours"

You have about .15 seconds, if that, to get their attention, and at 1/6th you need impact. You're lucky, you can, because you have the cover.

The first idea works IMO because it is different, and makes the reader look back at the cover, then realizing "Oh..." (second look). The second works because the reader sees what is, at the moment, a recognizable image, which gets their attention.

FWIW, and it may be worth exactly what you paid for it.

Good luck, nice barter deal, BTW.

[Sisters_photography]

I like number 3 and think that 4 would work if you got rid of the wrinkles in the backdrop, something similar to what I have done in the attached.


Can you please tell me how you removed the wrinkles from the drop( still learning photoshop)

[Sisters_photography]

Box Brownie- I see what you are saying I will work on that and look in to the ad thing I think I can have it either way

and for the Ty bears, they are not so much collectibles anymore her mother has collected them since her and her husband got married with the plan to give them to their child and 7yrs later here we are. so I guess the Ty bear one might just be for mom and dad not the ad.