For Fun Two Tone postcards (11 images)

Its time to come up with 2012 postcards and my wife suggested two or three wildlife shots that are two tone so here are the choices I am giving her to pick 3 from. We add about 6 new ones each year and this year we need to go heavy on wildlife cuz the last few years we went heavy on trains. If you want to play, pick your 3 top choices and then we can see what others think compared to her choices. Barbara will add text once the choices are made.

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


#8


#9


#10


We will also add this one train postcard.

Hey Roger,

I don't generally like two tone photos, but I must say that some of these are really nice!! You did a nice job on them.

James

Roger,
help me understand this: are you saying these are duotones? Or are you saying you've pulled out a full-color image and turned the rest of it B&W?

Jim

I desaturated the image and then pulled out the color that I wanted.

The purpose of the postcards?

We sell them in our gift shops.

Train Stuff Gift Shop

New Mexico Made Gift Shop

So they are basically selective full-color for printing purposes. I like the approach just couldn't quite understand that dual tone terminology.

Jim

OK, my vote is:
#2, #3 and #5.

I think I'd like to see #1 with the reflection treated in color just as an alternative.

Jim

My experience has been that many folks don't like selective color images especially well. I have to admit I'm not a fan of the technique. Occassionally one will strike me but certainly not frequently. Usually for them to work there needs to be some serious color pop included in the image. The grebe comes the closest for me due to the red eye and bright yellow bill. Of the choices the Bald Eagle would be my second choice, followed by the train.

I'd be curious to hear how they sell at the end of your season. Simple curiousity. There's a few places close-by me that would like post cards but I'll be darned if I can find a source where I can purchase them and still make a buck selling them wholesale... at least without buying a huge quantity.

Here is a link to where I buy my postcards. I wait until they have a sale and then I buy 5,000 at a time.

Vista Print

I found out something a long time ago and that is what I like means nothing but what my customers like has a dollar value. Personally I don't care for two tone images but we tried two different ones last year and they sold well, in fact one of my clients ordered all of them that we had left. We are across from the C&TSRR so they were trains.

Bob,
I tend to agree. I try to use it sparingly and very subtly when I do use it. Like this one from a wedding shoot.



To me, the use of bright colors popping off of B&W backgrounds is just a bit too jarring. Again, that's my opinion and worth every dime folks pay for it .

Jim

You nailed it big time "worth every dime folks pay for it" for all of us.