DSLRUsers.com

ok, after making a grand total of $9800 last FY. (yeah, yeah, i know its bugger all but i dont do weddings and at least it pays for my hobby !!!), i'm going to put a bit more effort into it this year. not trying to make a living or anything...but writing my number on the back of napkins and scrap paper isnt ideal...

so that out of the way, i had a friend who is a professional artist, (painting and stuff), draft this up for me and would like your opinions please. honesty is a virtue...if it sucks it sucks...no use blowin sunshine up my ass.

so what i want it to "say"...simple and elegant...right now i have the ph number on the back of the card. why ? i don;t know, i like the look without the number on the front but is that a good idea ? looks cluttered with a number on the front.



what i have no idea about is...wtf is a commision ? she uses the term alot for paintings but is it a common term in photography ? am i missing something crucial ? your ideas are welcome.

thanks.

Rooz,

It is good to keep it simple. However, the one thing you want to give your potential client is how to get a hold of you, either phone or email. Depending on how people store the business cards they collect, not having your number on the front is a problem. I know for myself, I store the cards in one of those plastic business card holders. I have one card on the front and a second one on the back of it for the next page (hope this makes sense). In this scenario, your phone number would then be hidden by the card on the back of it

Commission (art): In art, a commission is the hiring and payment for the creation of a piece, often on behalf of another.

For example, someone could commission you to get a series of photos of the Bondi Beach for a new ad campaign, tourist brochure, etc. BTW, look in the members area, Tony has a good deal on business card printing. I've used him and highly recommend him.

HTH,

André

excellent point. thank you.

edit: sorry, it appears i have posted in the wrong forum. move topic if you wish. btw: who is Tony ?

it's simple...also note commission has a double s

Rooz wrote:
what i have no idea about is...wtf is a commision ? she uses the term alot for paintings but is it a common term in photography ? am i missing something crucial ? your ideas are welcome.

thanks.

A "commission" is where you are engaged to do something for a client; eg in painting "commission a portrait of the Premier". So, it's like a contract for you to produce a specific work for an agreed price.

HTH

Rooz wrote:so that out of the way, i had a friend who is a professional artist, (painting and stuff), draft this up for me and would like your opinions please. honesty is a virtue...if it sucks it sucks...no use blowin sunshine up my ass.
thanks.

Honestly.. I don't like it.. 'Light painting'.. okay we know what that means but the average jo blow on the street I think will automatically think you're a painter.. and the dots in between the letters do nothing for me at all.. I'd be changing commisions to freelance or shoot to order or something like that too.. and don't even get me started on the number on the back or your name in red...

just saying...

feel free to spank me now..

Btw Tony is a forum member who does a great deal on business cards and stuff.. I got mine through him and was stoked with the quality and service..
See link below..
viewtopic.php?f=49&t=10707

Chris, you wanted honesty, I think it sucks.
I also think a lot of graphic designers must keep their heads up their backsides because they can't see s**t let alone smell it.
Simplicity is good, I don't mind that, but furry shadow hilights or whatever they are, suggest to me you can't get the camera in focus on a simple shot. If simple is what you want, keep it clean as well! The whiskers make it look unshaven in a scruffy way, not a hip way.
No contact info on the front is like putting your head up your own backside as well. Standard card size (90mm x 50mm) is also important. Non Standard cards don't fit standard card holders and invetibaly lead to early disposal, not referenced, dog eared or tossed, not to mention a significant cost impost to produce.
A good clean, creative, simple and very un-busy 'light painting' from your camera with a clean simple text overlay of essential info, Trade Name, Phone/email, Title ie. Photographer would do a lot more for me and most people I know rather than your artist friends suggestion -- with all due respects and apologies to their effort.
Borders on business cards are also a printers nightmare, just ask one? They significantly close the available space to convey your message eg. making it harder to get your number on the front without making it look too busy. See how much more space you have to work with without the border 'crop'.
Just my opinion and no offence to anyone meant or intended.

thank you all for your honesty. all good points raised.
bindii...i may take you up on that spanking !

The whiskers make it look unshaven in a scruffy way, not a hip way.

so that's what they are - I just thought that it was a scan of a hard copy that had smeared - !!!! Thought it looked like crap, but thought 'no way it will look like that' !!
Agree - doesn't work at all for me - reminds me more of a clothing tag

Rooz, I agree with almost all of the above, Light Painting while it make sense to photographers they are probably not your target market and people who are probably think you mean little painting jobs round the house. I also think just using Chris is a problem, that may work if your name is Ansell and you already have a big reputation, it would seem modest. In the case of a card like this it seems that you are not proud of your work or profession, so don't want people to really know who you are. A bit like you would not want your real boss to see the card 'Chris Smith' and realise you have a second job. That may be just my take on it, but it doesn't encourage referrals either, "I know this really good photographer, his name is Chris" doesn't exactly allow anyone to find you. The Light Painting font could easily be confused by someone with poor eyesight as just crap printing and lack of attention to detail. In defence of your graphics friend she probably felt the need for some change from the boring fonts she works with regularly, the target market may not feel that need. PS I would second the recommendation about TonyH printing. I have used him a number of times and get comments about my cards all the time, that may be due to the printing or the graphics, which were done by a bloke called 'Chris' (sirhc55)

When I was 'trying' to design my first business card many years ago I jumped online to http://www.clickbusinesscards.com.au and spent about 40 mins just mucking around with the many different styles that they had as examples.

I am a fan of a double sided card for a couple of reasons, however there needs to be one side (as has been mentioned) that shows all the details and be easily recognised at a glance when needed to be displayed in a business card folder. At the moment - my current card has one side with my logo only, then the reverse has all the contact details and stands out pretty well. - I always hand it to people with the logo side up so that is the first thing they see, The logo gets noticed and remembered.... Previously I used a bold photo to grab people attention, (A pristine GT Falcon, an Exploding car at the drags etc.. all received great comments when people looked at them... I chose the logo for this batch as I am heading in a slightly different direction and want to use my logo for branding acknowledgement etc..

A couple of tips I was shown when working out what to have on the card was to grab about 50 business cards from various places and spread them out in front of you and mix them all up. Look for the ones that grab you attention - they are the ones that work when people are looking for you..
Spend the little bit extra for a quality card, whether that be a heavier weight with embossing, or a full celloglase covering. I chose a matt celloglase as the card last longer ( I'd often be handing the cards to people with dirty /greasy hands at a racetrack) and the celloglase stops people writing on your card when chatting up some hawt chick and trying to get their number... LOL..

Seriously though, I never realised just how important 'the right card' made to by business...

ok, took alot of the ideas here back and reworked it into a number of samples.

important points for me...
standard size: definately a good idea
number on the front: definately a good idea
lose the dots: yep, works better
spellcheck: ah...yeah..lol
lose the "by chris", yepp, never thought of it the way you pointed it out, much better this way.
font: i like it. tried some other standard fonts and i didnt like it as much.
the red bit: i like it.
border: i like it, but will ask the printer about any issues.
the name: i like it. is it obtuse ? maybe. but i suppose no more obtuse than cre8tivepixels which i always loved the name of. or most other names i've come across in my scouring around for photography business names. will people know what the hell light painting is ? nope. but look at the bright side...it'll make for a good talking point and ice breaker.

i think alot of you flattered me a little by thinking i was really serious about marketing this and doing it really seriously for a living. the fact is i'm not good enough or committed enuf to do this fully professionally. while i want to be a little more "professional" i certianly wont be dropping this card to anyone and everyone. its just a means by which people can contact me and i can leave with people i do work for to give to a friend rather than just write my name/ number on a serviette.

thank you all for your valuable input. i think i got something much better out of it as a final-ish draft. i'm gonna sit on it for a couple of weeks and give it some more thought. i've also printed some copies on plain photopaper, (just from rabbit photo), and will show some people a physical "proof" if you will to gain some more opinions on the graphic, text etc. i have a pretty long sitting for 4 hrs this weekend for a big family so i may ask them for their advice as "customers". sure, its not for everyone or to eveyones liking but hey...thats life in the big city. lol

I much prefer the later edition and your point about the name being an ice breaker is a great point

Yes, much better, however I would still put your name on it...
it's YOUR business card, not a Generic one on the counter that any salesman writes his name on it right...
looks more professional if you have your name on it IMHO

I like the 2nd version.

I have for work one of those 2 sided cards (corporate decision - common Aus wide)...... and I have noticed most clients write my numbers on the front & then put in into a card holder.....

I reckon if you move the website address up under Portraits etc on the white, then put your name where the URL is now you'd be set.

And maybe make the Photography a bolder font to add a bit more red colour for punch?