After I decided early on that I needed a logo to help with the consistency of my brand image, I focused on the qualities I wanted to convey. I wanted something that could help tie in my website, marketing materials, business cards, stationary, etc. I also wanted something that was simple, clean, easy, and modern.
I looked to the logo giants outside the photography community like McDonalds, Coke, Apple, etc., (because admittedly at the time I'd never heard of Becker, Mike, Joe, Denis, or anyone for that matter) and they all had memorable, recognizable iconic logos that could be immediately known in any country, in any language. I mean, think about it: if you write anything in the CocaCola font, you simply and psychologically must associate that with Coke. It's instinctually impossible to do otherwise. Golden arches in any country you visit could be a welcome sign of consistency.
Keeping your logo consistent is the most important thing. Line extension can be dangerous, but as long as the basics of your logo stay the same, you're cool. Becker for example has added colors to his for different aspects of his business to help differentiate, but overall, it's stayed the same.
That being said, evolving your logo with the times can be a good thing. Take UPS for example. In the beginning, their logo was a simple two dimensional flat shield with a package on top...as the market evolved to be more modern, so did their logo; now it's essentially the same, but with more color and a third dimension.
This is in keeping with the current direction to expand your look to Web 2.0....mirrored reflections, three dimensions, and a "wet look".
My first logo I came up with a few years ago was fine, but I wanted to move it into a more modern arena. So here are the current white and black Web 2.0 versions. I'm by no means a graphic designer, but these have had a very positive response and impact on my business.
Corey
www.coreymcnabb.com
