Logos

ADMIT Photography · August 9, 2011

Okay a couple years ago when I was starting out I had a logo designed for me. But now I'm not sure that it's what I want. So before I have another one made I've been playing around in Photoshop trying to make one myself. Any ideas you have would be appreciated. Here is what I have so far.

1. My current logo

2. New logo 1

3. New logo 2

I don't really specialize at the moment in any type of photography. I'd like to do more weddings, and portrait style work though.

I'm also keeping in mind how the logo will look as a watermark on my images.

orljustin · August 9, 2011

I would go looking for a new designer. None of them are very good. Sorry.

ADMIT Photography · August 9, 2011

Justin what don't you like about them?

Background: I'm a photographer in the Air Force and do it outside the Air Force during my free time. All equipment and business related expenses come from job profits. Currently I'm deployed so I have no jobs which means no income. I'm trying to do this myself instead of hiring someone again.

Glort · August 9, 2011

To me they are all too busy.
in small fonts they would be difficult to read and may even look messy,
the first one to me looks like something from teh '50's.
The second one is... Well to me it's just a dog breakfast. Way too much going on there.
I think you need something in a non script font that is very simple, clean and modern looking.

Your catch phrase is meaningless,certainly as far as selling your work or creating an impression of quality or targeting a specific market. I'd come up with something that sells rather than just a bunch of words.
I think even if you changed the word "Documented" ( Blaaagh!) to "Precious" or "special" or something else emotive and tugs at the heart strings, you would do a lot better. Even something like "Images to treasure forever" would get the reader more involved and get the minds eye and thoughts coming up with a whole lot more than just the words themselves. To me the word Documented creates a thought of someone with a clipboard or a note book writing something down to be looked up in 100 years in a musty old book in the basement of the library.

I suggest when you do design your logo, do it huge to start with so if you want it for a banner of sign you don't have to re do it or have teh thing pixelate to pieces. Easier to downsize than go up.

Sam · August 9, 2011

I understand not having funds for a graphic artist to design a logo. My advice would be to continue to develop one of your own.

Keep in mind simple is better. When people like us, non graphic artists, try to create something, logo, etc, we normally over do it creating a complex busy and terrible monster.

Basically keep it simple with as few elements as possible. Go ahead and create various versions. Put them away for a week and then look at them again. When you have one or two you like post it here and see what kind of feed back you get.

Sam

fredjclaus · August 9, 2011

I know an artist the might be able to do something for about $50.00. However I know the money crunch thing too. As for your samples, I agree, they are not all that great, but you have a great concept.

Logo 1: I see a photograph of a puppy (did you take the picture?). if you didn't take the picture, you are violating the copyright laws using someone elses photo as your logo. Also the dog in your logo, makes you look like a pet photographer, and if someone needs a wedding done, they are not going to call you.

Logo 2: It's a nice layout, but it just looks too poorly done. You can tell by looking at it that it was not done by a profesional. Your logo is a first impression of your work.

Logo 3: This one has some potential. How about if you take the AP that is under the words, and move it over the side? Use those two letters and the A and the P in the words, and then right the rest of the words next to those letters. How would that look?

Also play around with the styling. Maybe a different style or a different color might look a bit better. The graphic designer who eventually made my logo, too the F and C in my name and made them red with black outlines. The rest of the letters are solid black.

ThatCanonGuy · August 9, 2011

Take a look at this thread: http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=150291

Hikin' Mike · August 9, 2011

I assume you're going to do this yourself. A few "suggestions"...

Don't use pictures as a logo. Ever try to embroider a picture?

Start designing using JUST black and white. No shades of gray. Add color after you're done.

Keep it simple.

....Good luck.....

ADMIT Photography · August 9, 2011

To answer the question yes I took the photo in my current logo so no copyright laws are broken.

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll go back to the drawing board and see if I can come up with something better.

fredjclaus · August 10, 2011

One thing I don't like about using the iPhone for commenting on boards is the auto correct. Sorry for all the spelling and grammar mistakes in my last post. I hope it helped you anyway.

marikris · August 10, 2011

Also, see if you can find a graphic design student. In my intro class we had to find a business and create their logo for one of our projects. Some of the stuff people came up with were pretty awesome. You don't have to use the logo, just in case you don't like it after all.

orljustin · August 11, 2011

In #2, the kerning is bad on "Admit" and the font choice is terribly busy. You almost can't read the letters. Then, you've got that fancy gradiated word layered behind it, at an angle for some reason. Then you have another version of the first font, busying it up more at the bottom.

In #3, you've got things intersecting in weird places, and have the added business of the additional overlay layer.

On a business note, I don't know what "Admit Photography" is. It sounds like some anti-terrorism campaign to stop police from bugging people with cameras. "Admit photography! Stop the madness!" And the "documented" phrase doesn't really mean anything marketing-wise.

Keep working on it.

Mark Dickinson · August 13, 2011

A trend is simplistic. Check my images on Facebook. Two fonts stacked. That's my logo and watermark.

Logos

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