Here's My Card
Well, I'm being swept back into the current of class-related busy-ness again, so blogging and photography take a back seat one more time in this ebb and flow of responsibilities. At least it's not all ebb. From time to time there is a minor flow of creative excitement and space to act on it as there has been for me this past week.
But now I've reached the end of my prepared lectures once again; have test three to make out for next Friday; have another round of labs to make digestible for my students; and will have maybe fifty research papers (very brief at 2000 words) to facilitate before the first week in December. And so it goes.
One thing I'll share this morning is the idea of having some photo-business cards printed for this budding attempt to recoup my hobby expenses. The free cards I've been using are lacklustre, and also lack the weblog address since they were made up before June of 2002. I'm interested in your opinions: would it be worth the extra cost (guessing it will double the price) to put a full-color image (picture) on the back? This feature, I'm thinking, would make the "First Impressions Photography" card less likely to end up immediately in the trash. A new contact would have something colorful and scenic in hand that they could put up in a tiny place at their desk, or at home on their refrigerator.
Such a card would be both functional and aesthetic. The aspect ratio of a business card is much wider rectangle than most standard images, so the scene would have to lend itself to a longer, narrower composition. And it must be a bold image where the details are not all lost in the process of shrinking it down to this tiny size.
If you can recall any photos you've seen here over the past months that pop out at you as a good pick for this business card usage, I truly am ready to put this together. I'd be happy for your thoughts and ideas!
Comments
Fred:
The first question I'd ask is why does it have to be the standard business card size? Think outside the card. :)
Doug
Posted by: Doug Thompson | October 27, 2004 6:24 AM
I'm not a business card keeper myself. I put them into Outlook Contacts since I'm not on the road when I need them. But some folks put them in a business card valet (must have another name) and also most wallets have some kind of spaces for "standard" cards. Larger would be better, but also more expensive. The cards I'm looking at will already be about $0.25 a piece by the thousand. Pricey, but I'm not doing any other advertizing.
Posted by: fred1st | October 27, 2004 6:55 AM
I think Tsuga also needs a card - perhaps both of you can get one of those "holographic" ones that change to a number of different awesome images when you turn them this way and that! :)
Putting one of your photos on a business card is DEFINITELY worth the extra money - the pictures you take are awesome and will stick in the recipient's head for a long time - making your contact that much more effective.
Posted by: Michelle | October 27, 2004 10:13 AM
Fred:
Let's talk when I get back this weekend. That's more than my cards cost me and I put a photo on them.
Doug
Posted by: Doug Thompson | October 27, 2004 11:25 AM
I like the photo idea, but put it on the front, and get those sticky card-sized magnet strips (very cheap at office supply) so your card doubles as refrigerator magnet. This works; I've done it.
Posted by: Doc Rock | October 27, 2004 3:38 PM
You might want to order some stick on labels with your contact info also. I put them on the back of the backing board that my pics are mounted on. I got this idea from several photogs displaying their work at art shows.
Posted by: fletch | October 27, 2004 4:23 PM
A thoughtful gesture that I've appreciated is made by some companies--they have a thumbnail-sized photo of the person--on the front of the card. Your idea of putting one of your photos on your card and Doug's idea of thinking outside the card are both good. I have (yes, I keep cards) one or two cards that fold over. In the folded configuration they are standard business size cards. Just don't send me the bill--LOL.
Posted by: Cop Car | October 28, 2004 8:50 AM
Fred,
I would nominate the tree picture I wrote about many months ago, but you have scads that would do just as well.
I would consider printing the cards yourself while you are getting the layout just the way you want. There are many more types of cards that can be printed on a first class inkjet printer. I am quite picky when it comes to making a business impression and I have found these cards to be eminently suitable for landing contracts.
IMHO, that is usually the most important reason for handing out cards . :)
Posted by: David St Lawrence | October 28, 2004 11:13 AM