Do Photographers Really Need a Logo?

[Steelsun]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

I agree.

How about remembering just one letter, and one number ?

Plus, if you look really closely you can see the Virgin Mary in the number three ..

I see Dolly Parton...

[liteonphotography]

I think logos can be up or down. Positives - watermark, branding, remembering Negatives - look like someone elses, or just straight cheesy looking =P

[Corrie]

Just using your business name in a decent font can be just fine. A bad logo will screw you over more than not having one at all I think.

[ldelacruz]

I agree if they use the same font for everyhing then it is a logo. A logo does not have to have a graphic associated with it to be a logo. I am actually working on my logo and it should be ready in a week.

[d2creative]

To help clarify, a logo is a graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often uniquely designed for ready recognition.
Like mentioned, that can just be a typeface... or a tweaked typeface as long as it's used consistently. If you use comic sans for your logo, there is nothing to stop anyone else from using comic sans for theirs. This is why it's always better to do something to the typeface to make it unique and "ownable".

Now the lemon illustration in my logo, that would be considered a "mark". The mark can be used with our without the type. For instance, the Nike swoosh. That's a mark. And that mark is instantly recognizable without the Nike. Or the new Pepsi mark... the globe that kinda looks like the obama logo.
Not all logo's need/have a mark.

[my3peas]

An interesting read I came across today in my blog reader:

http://photolovecat.blogspot.com/2009/02/brand-you.html

[mmuhlenkamp]

I'd rather see someone just type their name out rather than come up with some crappy word art or something. A good refined logo/mark can communicate a lot of things even if the viewer doesn't consciously realize it. A logo can make you look high end, expensive, chic, affordable, cheap, rugged, amateur, professional; or any variety of adjectives.

I don't know if a photographer really needs a logo, but they need to be tasteful with their branding/look still. A bad logo can convey the wrong message and make someone look amateurish and unprofessional looking.

[srwatters]

I got me one...



Wonder who did this one (wink-wink, nudge-nudge, know-what-I-mean)

[PhotoPunk]

You're not going to fail because you don't have a logo. Ansel Adams didn't have a logo other than his name...

....but think big...think of every major brand...coke...walmart...target...as long at your logo has meaning.





....and if you really dig your logo you'd better protect it or someone will try to steal it as bizzar as it may sound...