Logo-change-blog-header

Well. I finally did it. I updated my logo.  I have been wanting to update my logo for some time but it was one of those things that was easy to put off. "Oh, I will get to that next month", I would say. But finally, after putting it off for too long, I went ahead and started the process of creating a new logo. And now, I wish I had done it sooner. While it seems that creating logos for photography businesses is becoming easier with all the sites claiming free logo creators or stylish signatures, I wanted to use a professional because I know a logo can have a large impact on your business whether now or in the future as you try to grow.  

WHY I UPDATED MY LOGO

First let's take a look at my first logo. I created this logo myself and have used it the entire life of my business to date.  It is very simple logo using my initials with the name of my business underneath.  

JSilkstone Logo Zenfolio Grey Side_3

Original logo

This is very typical for those starting their photography business.  Just throw "Photography" behind your name and KaPow, you're in business.  Of course designing a logo takes a little more time and thought.  Somethings to consider are shape, font, color or no color, which color, all text or use an image, does it represent everything you do as a photographer and can your business grow and not outgrow your logo.  While I enjoyed making my first logo I will admit that it seems a little amateurish.  That's the reason why I decided to go with a professional to update my brand.  Let's first take a look at why I wanted to update my logo.  Then I will give a quick overview of the process and then I will talk about other types of logos and why I went the route that I did.

WHY I WANTED TO UPDATE MY LOGO

Here is a list of the reasons why it was time to create a new logo

• I wanted a logo that was not tied to my name but to my business.  Yes, I am still using J. Silkstone Photography but I wanted a logo that could stand on its own if the business changes.  If the name of the business changes then the logo can remain.
• My old logo seemed out of date.  It was time to get with the times when it comes to design.
• A little more "KaPow!" so it stands out in a crowd
• I was just ready for a change.  

THE PROCESS

I was lucky enough to meet and complete some small photography and editing jobs for the owner at Headfirst Creative. I approached him about updating my logo and he was more than happy to help.  The first part of the process was filling out a questionnaire in order to get to know me, my business and my clients better. Some of the questions were easy to answer. Others I had not really thought about and it forced me to think about my business in different way.  After the questionnaire we sat down together to discuss some ideas and thoughts on how the new logo might be used.

After that he presented me with 4 different logos, of which one really excited me. From there he took that design and put it into 4 more different layouts with a stylish font.  The final products are below.

JS-Silkston - BADGE - Black

New circular logo

JS Silkstone - Centered with Name - Black

Logo and name in landscape

I could not be happier with the new design.  The overall process was great and I learned a little bit about myself and my business at the same time. 

OTHER LOGO CREATORS

Let's take a quick look at some of the other options for creating new logos and why I decided to go with a professional.

1. Do it yourself.  I liked my first logo and it served me well.  But I wanted something more professional looking and therefore I went with a professional.  Enough said.
2. Use a logo generator.  These seem to be popping up everywhere.  I looked into them and even went through the process.  Unfortunately, they never created something that stood out. 
3. Signature logos.  This was a big trend for a while.  Send your name to a company and they would send you a fancy signature logo.  They looked great and very professional.  I just had a hard time understanding why I wanted my logo as a signature that I could not duplicate when I signed my own name.

Every person has different tastes along with different reasons for why they choose the logo they choose.  Your logo should speak to you but also to your customers as it represents the product that you offer. I believe my new logo does just that.  RIP old logo.  

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