At the end of last year, when I decided to embark on the journey of doing photography as a full-time hobby with the hopes of making some money, I knew I’d need to find a way to promote my work and myself. And I’ll be the first to say that I’ve been dipping my toe into the ocean of uncertainty and pulling it out just as quickly when I got scared to make my next move, of any kind. But soon enough, I got that opportunity to hang my work at Wheelhouse Coffee and the rolling ball could not be stopped. Of all the things to be nervous about, I was nervous about having a business card I could have available for people to take. After all, the idea of showing work is about sharing your work with the general public in addition to getting your name out there and circulating. That’s the hope, anyway.
After trying to design my own brand, I quickly realized I needed professional help. First of all, I was going crazy with the blahness I was coming up with, and I was being stubborn about doing it myself. Second, I knew I wasn’t going to be entirely happy with what I’d come up with. I simply don’t immediately have the skills to pull this off. I also read somewhere that it’s okay to reach out, ask for help, and expect to pay some money for it.
I called on my good friend Michael Harring to help explore my identity and design a business card for me. It’s tough when the main thing you have to do is think about yourself. To help with a starting place, he walked me through some mood boards. He presented three boards and it was like looking at myself. Each one carried awesome elements I identified with and just loved. I could not have been more excited about the direction he was going with this. And without further ado, this is my very cool business card.
Mike suggested using different photographs of mine to print on the back – little samples and take-aways. I chose six of my favorites and he cropped and oriented them to fit and flatter. I could not be more happy with this result. It speaks to my personality and my aesthetic so well.
The entire process was like a dream. Maybe it’s because we’ve known each other for so long and I have complete trust in his sensibilities, work ethic, and his sincerity to make sure I was happy with the final product, but I would not hesitate to call on him for future work. And even though we’re friends, I offered to pay for his work, because he is a working artist, and working artists should be paid.
And with that, I will shamelessly plug his portfolio: www.michaelharring.com. He is indeed a Creative Monster.
MARIVIC PINEDO 