Creative Photography Business Cards Ideas

Photography business cards are one of those creative accessories that many photographers consider essential, but when I paused to really think about it I could see no obvious business reason why we absolutely must have them. After all, with so many alternative ways for clients to find us, I asked myself if traditional photography business cards are truly effective these days, and what ways photographers have found to be more creative when it comes to photography business card ideas…

It certainly seems reasonable, in a world where it’s becoming ever more difficult to be noticed and to garner people’s attention, to imagine that there must be better alternatives to the standard  2 x 3 inch traditional business card for the professional photographer.

A 4 x 6 post-card sized photography business card (front and back)

This is an example of one of my 4 x 6 business post cards, which was quite effective for a while, that was able to carry a lot of information and persuasive copy with it. This got me wondering what other photographers are actually using…

The Zero Option – No Photography Business Cards

As an aside, I even  wondered if it’s actually possible to run a photography business without having a business card at all? Has anyone tried to do that? If so, how is it working out?

For example, I was observing the behavior of people at a recent networking meeting, as I was interested in the psychological aspects of the networking process, especially in the realms of trading of business cards etc.

I’m More Important Than You

What I noticed was that two people would typically meet for the first time, and one of the first questions to be asked was usually, “do you have a business card?” Naturally, the response was, “yes“, followed by a business card exchange, as though it were part of some bizarre ritual that neither party fully understood.

What happened next was quite interesting. In most cases, one of the pair would take a few moments to examine in detail the card they had received, while the other person would quickly thrust the business card they had been given into a pocket without ever really looking at it.

What I concluded from observing these people for a few more minutes was that the simple exchange of business cards, and the way each person responded, actually established a rudimentary form of social ranking, with the one who paid the business card the least attention being perceived as the more important of the two.

It also seemed more likely that the business cards that were dismissed so easily would very quickly find their way into the trash can, or at the very least become lost or forgotten.

I’m sure the photographer watching her business card vanish without the benefit of a second thought realized that the chances of the other person contacting her were slim to non-existent, leaving her feeling at something of a disadvantage.

The bottom line for the traditional business card exchange seemed to be a win-lose, or even a lose-lose, situation in many cases.

Mutual Interest Is A Win-Win – Technology To The Rescue

At other times, I observed a different kind of behavior, one that indicated an improved chance of success for both parties.

In those cases, the two people met for the first time, chatted for a while, asked each other questions about their businesses, and then one would ask the other directly for their contact information, and proceeded to enter it into their smartphone. This is obviously a clear signal that the person asking for the information is really interested in talking further, or at least taking the other person more seriously.

The other interesting point here is that there was no obvious social ranking taking place, with both parties being accorded similar levels of attention and respect from the other.

The likelihood of a win-win game here is much higher.

It’s All About Making The Right Human Connection

I’m no psychologist, nor would I pretend to be, but I believe some of the key differences that made the second scenario work better would include:

• A sincere and genuine interest in the other person
• Listening more than talking
• Building a relationship and establishing common ground
• Fostering trust
• Eliminating the idea of social ranking
• Being interested as well as interesting

While the second scenario seems to work very well, and is definitely worth considering in future networking situations, I wondered if there was a way to make the traditional exchange work, even if we happen to be the one who finds ourselves at the social disadvantage of being “less important“.

In other words, in a simple photography business card exchange situation, what can we do to turn it to our advantage? Specifically, perhaps a more creative business card design can help to convert the first scenario into something more productive…

Creative Photography Business Card Ideas

I have little doubt that there are some exciting and creative business card ideas out there (even for the traditionally-sized card), so I asked for some examples in a recent blog post (See “Photography Business Card Ideas – Share Your Creative Design“).

Here are some of the ideas that other photographers sent in by way of the comments to that post.

A very creative photography business card idea from Keith Cooper - a 3 part mini-brochure

This one comes from Keith Cooper – a 3-part card that’s almost a mini brochure. Keith says that this card works really well at business networking events where there are “general purpose” pro photographers that he wants to differentiate from. With its interesting brochure-type feel, and convenient size, I’m sure that this one does not get discarded as easily as the traditional business card.

RJ Hidson's photography business card is a clear acrylic card that's clean and simple

RJ Hidson used to have traditional paper cards with some basic information on them, but grew tired of it after awhile because people were just accustomed to seeing cards just like it. This design and the clear acrylic material is unique, and really says something about RJ’s approach to photography. The result is that everyone loves them! I agree that this business card shows the kind of care and attention to detail that RJ shows toward his clients, and I’m sure it’s a big hit!

Margo Pinkerton takes a whimsical approach with her creative photography business card design - aimed squarely at the fun-loving photographer

Margo Pinkerton’s business card looks simple enough, but its design is an integral part of their marketing. They’re hoping to attract fun-loving people who take their photography seriously, rather than those who take themselves too seriously. I love the simple and effective creative use of the bare feet on this card and I’m not surprised that people tell them it looks as though they have a lot of fun in their business.

Dani Riot's clear plastic business card is designed to convey the modern approach to his business

Dani Riot created some sexy clear plastic cards with embossed black and chrome text to match the mood of his creative photography. A clean, simple and obviously effective design!

I love this creative photography business card from Brandon Weight - designed to look like the LCD panel of a camera, but still clean and neat

This one was submitted by Brandon Weight who made his card look like the LCD panel from a Canon 5D Mark II – very creative indeed, and certain to stand out!

It’s great to see people using some lateral thinking when it comes to something as simple and obvious as a photography business card. I’m sure that these ideas will ensure the photographers are remembered and that they’ll stand out from the crowd, especially in busy networking situations, where it’s easy to be forgotten.

Share Your Own Creative Photography Business Cards

Did you miss the first post, or forgot to submit an idea? Have you found a great alternative to the traditional business card that works really well for you? If so, share it with the rest of us and leave a comment…

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