Updating the Business Card

[brad]

I'm forever dishing out advice on business cards around here (since I do design them as part of my headshot business).. so I thought I'd share my two final candidates for my own latest one... right now, I'm leaning strongly toward the first one (and that is the wife's favorite as well) (and its slightly in the lead with my Twitter/Facebook voters)...

[toverman]

Both are classic, clean designs. I'd like the first one better if her bra strap wasn't showing (?), but I vote for it over the other one.

You don't believe in logos?

[brad]

Heh, I'm not a logo kinda guy... well, not with photography, anyway. I have a number of them I've created and used for other businesses (software, my wife's knitting business) over the years.

[Jeff Lane]

Here's a (totally random) thought: Your card is directed specifically to the "Seniors, Family, Children" market. The young lady in the first card could relate to at least two of those markets: seniors and children. You also do actor's headshots, executive's portraits, and other portrait work. Why not just have two sets of cards printed (using the second image for "Actors and Executives" or some other appropriate description of the target audience), and pass them out when that is a more appropriate market.

No need to send the signal that you only want to market to children, families, and seniors when you meet a potential executive portrait client, is there?

[brad]

Heh, I already have a headshots card that points people to the headshot site.. different websites, different markets, different cards. :)



(I have another that I pass out at baseball games that leads to the pictures from the games.. and will eventually do another for the art site. Yes, I'm a biz card junkie. LOL)

[J Eddington]

I love Erin. That is a great shot.
But the first one not so. It comes across as, I am hunting for a word to describe it. Best I can do is dirty. The face seems kinda dirty and her eyes don't pop. It may be the background. I don't know.

[tresorph]

I like the second. I agree with Janice - I would have loved to see more eyes and less hair.

Brad - could you plug your biz card printer again. I can't recall who you said from Aric's workshop. And I liked that they were glossy and thick.

[mmuhlenkamp]

I like the photos you chose and the general layout, but I don't care for the typeface or color of the text. Straight black just leaves a little to be desired, especially when it's supposed to work with the photo.

Here's just a quick layout adjustment, nothing major, but I've used Century Gothic (one of my favorite san serifs) and changed the color of the typeface to dark brown and dark gray respectively.

[mmuhlenkamp]

Actually, my text could come down in size a bit, it's a little chunky looking.

[HotHolly]

Biz cards get passes around - Id make sure I had an address or city on there somewhere. And I think you are on the right track having different cards for different groups. Handing a baby image that is so sweet it's sticky makes moms go nuts, but seems to be senior repellent. I have different cards for babies, brides, and boudoir...which are my main 3 targets.

[JohnT]

I like what Melissa did with the text. I was going to suggest that as it gives the card a stronger feel.

[brad]

Originally Posted by mmuhlenkamp

Here's just a quick layout adjustment, nothing major, but I've used Century Gothic (one of my favorite san serifs) and changed the color of the typeface to dark brown and dark gray respectively.

I like that Melissa.. I think I will incorporate some of that into the final version.

Originally Posted by HotHolly

Biz cards get passes around - Id make sure I had an address or city on there somewhere. And I think you are on the right track having different cards for different groups. Handing a baby image that is so sweet it's sticky makes moms go nuts, but seems to be senior repellent. I have different cards for babies, brides, and boudoir...which are my main 3 targets.

Ya.. and that's a good point.. and is one of the reasons I'm going with card #1 .. this card is aimed primarily at seniors, so the grunge.. the non-conformity.. the age of the subject.. all work in its favor, I think. I love Erin, too (and I love that image).. but she just doesn't look like a senior anymore, especially with the shorter hair she had in this picture.

I very rarely do baby images.. but I suppose if I did more, I might have to make a new card for that.. and keep those lines more clean/white like card #2 (only with a baby).

[Hikin' Mike]

I'm not a big fan of photo business cards. Most look like a picture a somebody threw some text on it and called it a business card. I guess I'm a logo kinda guy.

I do like the Century Gothic font though. The original font just looked to plain for me. Nice pictures though....

[photopam]

It might just be the internet viewing, but her eyes look very pink in the first one. I am not sure how white they are in the original (might just be from the bg color), and they also seem a little on the dark side.

The second one, she has "prop hand" and looks sad. Lose the hand with the flower and get her smile some, and I'd like that image as well.

I think it took me about 2 months to finally decide on my biz card layout!

[toverman]

Originally Posted by Hikin' Mike

I'm not a big fan of photo business cards. Most look like a picture a somebody threw some text on it and called it a business card. I guess I'm a logo kinda guy.

You've got a point how many biz cards look, but if it's a photographer's card my take is that it's a golden opportunity to show off some work. It's just got to be great work! I like the images for either card.