DIY Photography business cards

carguy

Senior Member
Put together a batch of DIY photography business cards. Bought a box of 35mm slides. Found some vintage Kodak slide cases on ebay for convenient storage in my bag.

Second shooting a small wedding and shooting an animal shelter fundraiser this weekend. Looking forward to this :)
 

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wev

Senior Member
Contributor
I know a number of people that wouldn't have a clue what those are/were for -- they'd be puzzled why you would cut the center out of your card
 

carguy

Senior Member
Yep. I've used them previously. Now a buddy is a graphic designer and is whipping up a new logo which will lead to the new card.
 

JohnFrench

Senior Member
I used Vista Print, got 200 biz cards for the cost of shipping. You have to choose from select formats, but I found one that worked for me. I just pass them out when I see people seemingly interested in my camera/lens/subject matter/etc. I am not a pro, and as of late not much of anything, due to a pinched nerve in my spine rendering my right leg only good for a few steps at a time. But it is fun to be able to give peeps a card showing where they cab view my shots.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
The last cards I had made for the business I set up in MS Publisher and took the file to a UPS Store to be printed on their color laser, 2 colors on the front and full color images on the back.

If you wanted to get a little fancier with the mounts, you could print some "slides" using transparency printer film.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
I actually stopped leaving cards out at shows. Buying prints is impulsive, if they see you have a website they say they'll buy later and rarely do. Now I only give them out if someone asks.
 

Krs_2007

Senior Member
Great idea, and I have mine waiting to order. I was going to ask on here everyone's thought ps on vista print. After reading the other thread I feel comfortable ordering from them.

@carguy , By the way, I know what those are and they are a great idea for a business card.


@Rick M , good ideas on not handing them out like they are candy. I just want them because I feel that if I just tell someone the website name they will forget it, this way they can have it on the card.
 

carguy

Senior Member
I'm selective who I hand cards out to. I never simply leave them out. I like to meet people and talk to them. I find out what they do and network. Just handing them out is just pollution :)
 

STM

Senior Member
It is an interesting concept, but I agree with wev, it is kind of obscure.

I got tired of my 4 year old business cards and redid mine today. I photographed my Hassleblad 40mm f/4 and pulled it into PS and added the lettering. What is weird is the font, Rage Italic Regular, that I used does not look all that much different than when I write (not sign) my name; it is just more readable! Off to VistaPrint it went!. They are having a special on right now. I got 500 glossy cards for about $15 including standard shipping. You can't beat that with a stick!

 
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STM

Senior Member
I just thought of something for your "business card". Are these the ones you seal with a tacking iron (for dry mounting)? If so, why don't you print one of your favorite images on two sided photo paper about the size of the cropped slide opening and seal them in there? Put your name and address, etc., on the other side! Now THAT would be unique!
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
Great idea, and I have mine waiting to order. I was going to ask on here everyone's thought ps on vista print. After reading the other thread I feel comfortable ordering from them.

My wife uses vista print for her business cards a couple of times and has been happy enough that it's where I'll go once I get "official".

Joe ... probably a better discussion in a separate thread (rather than derailing this one), but how do you go about landing the second shooter gig? I've started seriously considering doing something similar, but have not been finding a good way to get that started short of cold calling all the photog ads on Craigslist and trying to pimp my service.
 

carguy

Senior Member
I just thought of something for your "business card". Are these the ones you seal with a tacking iron (for dry mounting)? If so, why don't you print one of your favorite images on two sided photo paper about the size of the cropped slide opening and seal them in there? Put your name and address, etc., on the other side! Now THAT would be unique!
Yep, these are cardboard slide sleeves I closed with wax paper and an iron.I
saw a few examples like that online as well as acual slide transparencies.
I like the idea of the empty viewing area so you can hold it up and view what's around you. Jared Polin sells keyrings with this in mind, saw his while I was searching for a way to do this.
 

carguy

Senior Member
My wife uses vista print for her business cards a couple of times and has been happy enough that it's where I'll go once I get "official".

Joe ... probably a better discussion in a separate thread (rather than derailing this one), but how do you go about landing the second shooter gig? I've started seriously considering doing something similar, but have not been finding a good way to get that started short of cold calling all the photog ads on Craigslist and trying to pimp my service.

All good, a friend here at work whom I dragged into photography, is shooting his neice's casual wedding. He asked if I'd like to help out. I really don't want the pressure to go an event like that alone this early in the game for sure.

The Sunday event is for a local shelter I support. I'll be there helping out and shooting the event for them. May lead to future paid jobs, who knows.
 
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