Business card and updating my site

Fenster

It's one more step to being a suave pro, but I've finally printed out a business card:



I'm also looking at updating my main page as I really don't get a chance these days to update my blog. Something like a flash (cliched, but eh, works for me) page with links to my different galleries would be incredibly handy.

Would any of you have suggestions?

mikeanywhere

Looking good matey

Borderfox

Looks like she is blowing her nose. Just my two cents.

Fajitas!

I think the business card is quite limiting tbh.

Fenster

Well what would you change?

Rojo

I like the photo, but I think you do have much better photographs. Although, I don't know how easy they would be to incorporate them into a business card like you have done with the portrait of the girl..

Fenster

I can change it fairly easily

thebaz

i really like the website , but agree with others, the photo ain't right on card - the layout of the card is nice , and its a nice idea , but i'd go for a less emotive shot , youve got loads of good ones !

Fajitas!

I wouldn't go for a kid shot nessicarily, I'd go for something that means you could shoot anything (And I know they say women...I mean animals and children are the hardest things to work with but...)

440Hz

Fajitas! wrote:

(And I know they say women...I mean animals and children are the hardest things to work with but...)

lmao

mr p

I'll add that the card looks to be in a non-standard size, more square than usual. I know it's very funky and all but I can't recommend strongly enough not to do that. I've been putting the business cards of work contacts into files and books for years now and if they wont fit, there's a fair chance they'll go in the bin.

I've mentioned this to a couple of other people at work and they agree. Keep the size standard and it will fit in those books you get in stationary shops.

Rojo

Fenster wrote:

I can change it fairly easily

Maybe make a few mock designs with different photographs like Al did while back?:)

Fajitas!

I'd disagree Mr p, keep to the standard size that will fit in a wallet, but from there, play with the shape. Knowing several graphic designers, they've all been saying the same lately about cards. Go for something that bit different.

mr p

Fajitas! wrote:

I'd disagree Mr p, keep to the standard size that will fit in a wallet, but from there, play with the shape. Knowing several graphic designers, they've all been saying the same lately about cards. Go for something that bit different.

If you like, but I know I've thrown out cards because they didn't fit in the book I was using at the time. I've also used a thing like the card drawer libraries used to have, and you always missed the cards that weren't as high as usual.

I used to work for a very well budgeted government agency in Australia and I got a lot of cards from people trying to get work from us, so in that way I had the luxury of simply being able to not worry about the ones that didn't fit. There were people who got business through having an easily findable number in my file though...

Round the corners, do what you want, but make sure it still fits within the usual dimensions.

First impressions count, and all that, frustration with trying to get your card in the thingy is not one I'd cultivate.

Caryatnid

I actually really like the card.
I think the side portrait works really well (at the side of the card).

I reckon the card looks good if you are aiming at portraiture of families etc - but if you are targetting, for example, editorial, then you need another pic.

In the blank space under your name I would add in what you actually do -
eg.
Fashion/Portraiture/Corporate/whatever.

If I had your card, I wouldn't know if you are interested in photographing a model, or families, or weddings etc.

Fenster

Eh, you're right, it wasn't a standard size, but I changed that after I uploaded it.

Here's a few more mockups. I really enjoy the template I've come up with, as I can swap photos very easily:

sineadw

ooo the last one!

thebaz

agree the template is nice , and all the photos work much better , i'd vote for 3

Oriel

I still think you have better photos than those.
Take out the children, that screams "I'll photograph your kids in a shopping center" and make me imagine you with a really bad side parting.
Also, the old churches say "I'm not as creepy as the child-shooting person, but I'm not far behind".
Why does most of the card have to be white? If you're paying for colour, make the most of it.
Matte laminate all the way, of course.

Fajitas!

Have to agree with a lot Sinec...Oriel said there.

I really don't think the ruins work for business cards. Kids are putting you into one market, and one market only. Which is all well and good if you want to stay in that market.

I'm not a big fan of the gradients used either. They're not considerate of the images, but of the template used.

For the record above, I meant cards that fit the standard sjze, with bits chopped off.

440Hz

Fajitas! wrote:

Have to agree with a lot Sinec...Oriel said there.

hehe

However, I also concur! Kids on business cards do evoke thoughts of shoppings "malls" and "pixie-photo" stands. I would avoid associating yourself with any one area too soon, and as well, honestly, I think kiddy shots should be avoided on business related stuff (unless it is your specific business of course). For LOTS of reasons.

Anyway yeah, something more generic, slightly more graphical or something. I can think of a few that would look nice, I'll mail ya later.

cormie

Just having a quick nose in here, how about something like this? I know it's not the "original way" the photo was taken but anyway..

*

*note the eyes are the original blue

Fajitas!

I think the layout and font of Cormie's is very good.

440Hz

+1 for Cormies! (even with a kid)

Cabaal

The last template with the tower and snow looks the busines to be honest, I'd go with that personally

daedalus2097

I think Cormie's is a little dark... It's nice and impressive, but there's something slightly sinister about it, meaning it doesn't lend itself well to wholesome family or business work. Just my 2c though...

Calina

Permission to throw my two cents in:

Mark - is there some reason you have to have just one business card? I'd do two or three - one for the bread and butter family photography and one for the the fine art stuff? If you're printing them yourself, you've a lot more room to play with there. For the kids, I prefer the second example you put up (ie, the first in the post with three or four options). You also said that the IR photography was one of your main selling points. It should be on one of your business cards.

Regarding the website: I have a couple of comments - if the blog is not updating regularly because you're busy, it shouldn't really be the front page of your website. I'd recommend you put a gallery in there, or a slide show and move the blog off to a subdirectory. The slideshow you did of the cars a few weeks ago was really cool - a couple of those in front; you don't have to update things so often then. You should also bear in mind that your site is not so much a blog any more, but a marketing tool and temper the content appropriately.

In terms of putting my money where my mouth is I have business cards which have a variety of photographs on one side with contact details on the reverse (go flickr). They are going down well. They point to a website with a gallery and a journal on it and the journal is written specifically for the remit of selling me and my photographs.

Please don't slap me if you don't agree - I'm sodden as it's pouring in Dublin yet again.

440Hz

daedalus2097 wrote:

I think Cormie's is a little dark... It's nice and impressive, but there's something slightly sinister about it, meaning it doesn't lend itself well to wholesome family or business work. Just my 2c though...

Agreed. I do prefer the design of it though. I wouldnt use it AS IS, but I'd work from it. And, I would still advise against kids but thats just my opinion. However, in an ideal world, I'd agree with Calina, and have a few, then the kid ones will look great, when used for the purpose intended.

magicbastarder

don't go with text effects on business cards unless the text is quite large, say part of a corporate logo.

cormie

Mine was just a mock up, I only know the basics of photoshop (I had to do the eye part by copy/paste in MS Paint for example:D), so it was just an idea and could do with a bit more work, but I do agree with having different business cards for different prospective clients. Even different kid ones, I think more arty/creative parents would prefer the type of business card I did, where as others would prefer a brighter, face pulling card. Depends on a lot of factors but hopefully you can suss it before you give them a card.

Borderfox

Last one, maybe that IR shot of the sign of the Frontier? that was cool and relavant to area of business

Fenster

Alas that I'm once again left without a laptop as the damm kittens chewed through the fcuking power cable for a second time.

The Frontier sign is a great idea, I'll try that once I have a laptop.

Oriel

cormie wrote:

Just having a quick nose in here, how about something like this? I know it's not the "original way" the photo was taken but anyway..

*

*note the eyes are the original blue

"Will murder your children for free"

Fionn

Oriel wrote:

"Will murder your children for free"

too funny!!!

the picture of a child or something that expresses too much emotion doesnt fit well on a busness card i think.

I'd suggest thinking of Stock Photography images and perhaps pick something along those lines.
another thing that goes well in the design is the use of some form of dynamic curve (think Coke a Cola)
or if anyone remembers my efforts at a boards/flickr ID a while back, they're in this thread -
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055007064&referrerid=&highlight=