Graphic Design for Photographers – Part 1, The Logo

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently hired Brian Hoff, a freelance graphic designer, to help me refresh the look and feel of Mike Tittel Photography. Up until now I had done all of my design work myself, and, like many photographers, I believed I was qualified since I was a “creative” myself. I realize now the wrongness of my assumption! Brian has taught me so much about good design and opened my eyes to a new way of looking at things. His vision has been so beneficial that it inspired me to share some insight I gained from working with a professional. (And give you a sneak peak at the new logo.)

Before I hired Brian I felt my website looked a bit dated and needed some refreshing. I envisioned a cleaner and more contemporary look. The new logo had to fit well with how I viewed myself as a photographer, as well as the direction I hope to head in. That’s where Brian came in. In addition to discussing these things with him, I also filled out a questionnaire on his website which you can see here. He used my responses as inspiration and got to work.

After a fair bit of bouncing ideas back and forth I chose the following logo, which in the end, turned out to be the very first concept Brian provided.

Although we are still implementing the logo into other projects (more posts on that later) I have already learned a ton of valuable lessons.

First, the font can say a lot. For the base of my new logo we used a font called Knockout by H&FJ font foundry. Brian chose this font based on it’s weight and thickness which play nicely with the adventure and action sports I photograph. It also has an extreme feel which I believe makes it more memorable. After deciding on the font, Brian modified the “M” by creating an implied, yet contemporary-looking camera to give further insight into what it is I do. This subtle element was critical to my logo since I decided to drop the “Photography” that previously had followed my name from my main website. The emphasis now is more on my name. Since most photographers are recognized by their names, my new logo helps make “Mike Tittel” more clear, while still subtly implying the “Photography.” Being this calculated in my logo design was a huge change for me. In the past I simply chose a font that looked pretty.

Second, tone down the color. Logos are a lot like good photographs . . . sometimes less is more. This is especially true when it comes to colors. To bring a modern, fresh feel to my new logo Brian very selectively used a new toned-down burnt orange, replaced the old black background with a lighter, slate grey and introduced white into my new color scheme. Very slick, if you ask me.

Third, versatility is key. As Brian says, a good logo should be extremely flexible. It should look good and remain readable at various sizes and work as well in black and white as it does in color. You should also be able to use it both horizontally and vertically. Again, this was another big change. I had never given the versatility of my logo any real thought before working with Brian.

Finally, a good designer provides more than what you thought you needed. Brian’s professional guidance has encouraged me to think about things I would have never considered. For example – the favicon. It’s small, simple and nice way to add a little something extra, and make my website that much more memorable. Furthermore Brian has provided every possible variation and coloring of my logo. Moving forward I am covered no matter what need may arise.

My refreshed website and the new blog should launch around the end of the month. When it’s live I’ll put up another post with the considerations that went into each of those projects as well. In the meantime pay a visit to Brian’s website, The Design Cubicle. It is an amazing resource for information on graphic design and inspiration. Check it out, and tell him I sent you.

**Update – October 5** Brian just posted his own write up on the design process for my logo from his perspective. Check out the article on his blog here.

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