# Thoughts on my business card design



## massahwahl (Jul 6, 2008)

I really enjoy doing photography for small weddings where the couple could not afford to hire a $1,000+ photographer but still wants professional looking pictures so after doing my third wedding last weekend and doing some maternity pictures this evening I got the idea to do a business card mock-up that I could start passing out to friends and family and hopefully get my name out there a little more.

Heres the design I came up with thus far:






I tried to keep it simple and to the point but wanted some opinions from some of you graphics gurus to see if you thought it was missing anything or maybe has to much? 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


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## vroom_skies (Jul 6, 2008)

Hey Ninja,
Personally I find it rather difficult to read. For me I've never found red on black to be easy on the eyes.
Also it doesn't strike me as a wedding/ portrait card. If I had to take a guess I would have said automotive or band photography.

However, if your clients like it and if it works for you, then thats all that matters.

Also, I never knew you were into 'serious' photography. What gear are you using and why haven't we seen any of these pics?

Hope everything works out well,
Bob

Edit: 
Here are two random cards I picked off of google.


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## massahwahl (Jul 6, 2008)

I have the following equipment:

Canon XSI DSLR Body
Canon XT DSLR Body
Speedlight 430EX
50mm "Nifty Fifty" lens
Stock 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens
75-300mm 1:45-5.6 Telephoto Lens
and a Vivitar 400mm 1:5.6 T-Mount Telephoto lens with EOS adapter.

For portraits I use a set of two Sunpak 383 flashes with FlashZebra optical slaves and two white adorama umbrellas with mounts and stands.

To answer your other question, I post photos occasionally on the tournaments but nothing from my weddings and shoots that I have in done in respect to the couples. Its more or less a hobby I enjoy and I have to do shoots for work a lot so I figure why not make a little money off of it on the side?

I posted this on another photography forum im on and they had the same comments, so I guess im back to the drawing boar..er... Photoshop boards!


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## vroom_skies (Jul 6, 2008)

Hey Ninja,

Yeah I ran across your post on POTN.
Some people can be a tad bit egotistical and rough around the edges.
Looking forward to seeing the new design though.

Bob


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## MBGraphics (Jul 6, 2008)

You guys are on POTN also?? Haha, cool! 

I too cant wait to see the final


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## Kornowski (Jul 6, 2008)

Your link to the image doesn't work?

I hope that it works out for you though!  If you need a hand with anything, make sure you let me know  Anything for a fellow CF Clan Member!  (You need to play more! )

Oh, what's POTN?


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## vroom_skies (Jul 6, 2008)

POTN (Photography on the net) is a Canon digital forum.
Just like CF or any other forum for that matter.

However POTN does seems to house some very arrogant people.
Bob


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## Kornowski (Jul 6, 2008)

vroom_skies said:


> POTN (Photography on the net) is a Canon digital forum.
> Just like CF or any other forum for that matter.
> 
> However POTN does seems to house some very arrogant people.
> Bob



Ah right. Thanks for clearing that up, Bob.
(Off Topic) Did you get my PM?


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

Thanks for the kind words! Heres the revamp, check it out:






Let me know any suggestions you have!


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## Kornowski (Jul 7, 2008)

You're going to think I'm meanie now, but I'm not, honest! 

I find it a little hard to read the blue text that goes around the edge of the circle, I think I'd find myself rotating the card in my hand to read it.

Also, I think the choice of text is Ok, but maybe go with something simple like, Arial and keep it easier on the eyes?

I do like the MW logo though, that looks good!

Just some constructive criticism for you, Mike.


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

So the font on the back is hard to read? Would the circular text be easier to read if it was a different color and font or are you saying scrap the circular text altogether? 

...I kinda like the circle text lol


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## Kornowski (Jul 7, 2008)

I'd say it's a little hard to read, but not because of the colour, just because of the way it rotates around. I'd try the text sort of 'paragraphed'?

I can't tell you how to make your card, all I can do is make suggestions, at the end of the day, it's your card, you do it how you want it to look.


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=5861185#post5861185

Heres a link to the POTN thread I posted. This Tim guy is a tough one to crack... I dont think he likes me lol.


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

Kornowski said:


> I'd say it's a little hard to read, but not because of the colour, just because of the way it rotates around. I'd try the text sort of 'paragraphed'?
> 
> I can't tell you how to make your card, all I can do is make suggestions, at the end of the day, it's your card, you do it how you want it to look.



I really appreciate the comments! Thats why I posted it 

Im not the one thats gonna decide whether or not I get hired for a job


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## Kornowski (Jul 7, 2008)

ukulele_ninja said:


> http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=5861185#post5861185
> 
> Heres a link to the POTN thread I posted. This Tim guy is a tough one to crack... I dont think he likes me lol.



That dude's a bum hole, ignore him!



ukulele_ninja said:


> I really appreciate the comments! Thats why I posted it
> 
> Im not the one thats gonna decide whether or not I get hired for a job




Good points, Haha!

I see you like the idea of having something to look at, other it being dead simple? Just maybe try and space things out a little, some of them clash a bit.


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

lol, I wouldnt mind the harsh comments if he offered some suggestions instead of 

'You suck, make it look like someone elses'


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## Kornowski (Jul 7, 2008)

ukulele_ninja said:


> lol, I wouldnt mind the harsh comments if he offered some suggestions instead of
> 
> 'You suck, make it look like someone elses'



Yeah, he isn't helping anybody with that, he needs to pull his head out his ass, really. 

I'm off to bed now, 1:40AM  I'll check back in the morrow.

Come up with a few designs, try different things, even if you move something slightly, save it. Then, look at all your designs collectively and see which ones you do and don't like, and build on 'em.


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

Kornowski said:


> Yeah, he isn't helping anybody with that, he needs to pull his head out his ass, really.
> 
> I'm off to bed now, 1:40AM  I'll check back in the morrow.
> 
> Come up with a few designs, try different things, even if you move something slightly, save it. Then, look at all your designs collectively and see which ones you do and don't like, and build on 'em.



Good ideas!

See! At least someone in this world knows how to give constructive criticisms!


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## vroom_skies (Jul 7, 2008)

ukulele_ninja said:


> http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=5861185#post5861185
> 
> Heres a link to the POTN thread I posted. This Tim guy is a tough one to crack... I dont think he likes me lol.



Hey Ninja,
Yeah there are quite a few people like Tim over on POTN. 
That is one reason why I'm not to active over there.

In regards to this card it's leaps and bounds better then the old one, however it still has a few flaws imo.
I find the text still rather hard to read. Is there any reason why you want to stick with more pronounced fonts?
I don't really mind the colors to much, granted it's not a color scheme I would associate with weddings, but it doesn't have to be. What is throwing me off is that the text going around the circle isn't staying with in one of the lines, and is over lapping with the others.

Personally I would remove the word, "photography". The image of your self is enough to portray that you are one. Plus that would leave an unobstructed view of your logo.

the layout on the back is fine. I'd just change the font and remove the word and you should be good to go.

Hopefully that helped,
Bob


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

Lots of help bob! Someone on POTN (I'm pretty inactive over there too for similair reasons) suggested getting rid of the word 'photography' from the logo so I'm gonna do that next time around. 

I really wanted a circular logo and the words are something I liked a lot but understand how they can be hard to read, what if the words we're following the circle but the lower half was not upside down? That way it would have the same look but you would not have to rotate the card to read it?

As for the fonts, the only one that I'm really set on is the 'MW' font. The others are disposable. Also a color scheme is difficult to come up with, I could use some assistance there! Lol.

Thanks!


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

Version 3.0 is in the works


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## Kornowski (Jul 7, 2008)

Sweet, Looking forward to seeing it!

With regards to the colour scheme... Try something like Black and White, I know, simple, but it may work.

Or, White with a Blue? Which sort of helps tie in with the weddings theme?


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## 4NGU$ (Jul 7, 2008)

this is mine 






i have actually got them printed too 

yours was a bit brash and unprofessional 
so just try to tone it down a bit


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

4NGU$ said:


> this is mine
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very cool! I plan on getting mine printed as well once I come up with a design that is a little more appealing.


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## 4NGU$ (Jul 7, 2008)

just think simple and easy and your should get something good


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

Ok well heres my working design thus far... Im debating to leave it or add more:






This is pretty simple and I would go with a one sided card if I do this design. Do I need to have on the card what services I offer or is this enough information?


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## Kornowski (Jul 7, 2008)

It's certainly a lot better! 

I don't know, it seems to be missing something though... I can't put my finger on it. Maybe have like three small thumbnails of your pictures on it somewhere?


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## massahwahl (Jul 7, 2008)

i thought about that but im just afraid of 'overdoing it' ill play around with it.


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## Kornowski (Jul 7, 2008)

ukulele_ninja said:


> i thought about that but im just afraid of 'overdoing it' ill play around with it.



Don't be, you aren't getting these printed as you make 'em. So, do what you want, experiment, if you don't like it, chuck it! 

That's the best thing you can do, is try as many different things as you can / want... You'll get an idea of what you think works.


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## Kornowski (Jul 9, 2008)

How's it coming along, Uke?


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## G25r8cer (Jul 9, 2008)

Looks good to me but, as Korn suggested it seems to be missing "Something". I will ponder a little and hopefully I can come back with a suggestion.


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## Kornowski (Jul 14, 2008)

Had any time to work on it?


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## aysebean (Jul 16, 2008)

may i suggest some kind of image behind the logo? something suttle and greyscale..


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