# VS! Logo/Name Ideas



## DGMPhotography (Apr 12, 2013)

Hello! Now before you start blasting me about working on my craft before worrying about this stuff, please hear me out. I am not doing this because I want to start doing this professionally right now, but I have a credit on Vistaprint and need to use it before it expires. So I've come up with a few simple, neat, clean ideas. Some make more sense than others and I'm personally leaning more towards to "Swift as an Arrow Photography," but I'd like to hear what you guys think. I don't want to use my own name, Daryll Morgan, because it's a rather plain name and I'd like to stick out a little more - but if you have any suggestions, I'd gladly take them. And before you ask, I did use a vector-based program to design these (Inkscape). Also, I _know_ that I have the ability to talk to a graphic designer, so don't suggest doing that. These are simply preliminary ideas for names that I may take to a designer later on to polish off. Now go! 

Fly Like an Arrow Photography



Break of Dawn Photography


Beneath the Hat Photography


Swift as an Arrow Photography


Straight as an Arrow Photography


Back (the back will basically be the same for all of them except the website name)


Also, is anyone else having issues with the uploader? I had to use basic uploader for some reason because the regular one won't let me click on it...

Anyways, thanks!


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## Light Guru (Apr 12, 2013)

Use your name, I find everything else cheesy.


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## KmH (Apr 12, 2013)

It is a good idea to make sure a business name is available, both in your region and as an Internet domain name.
That's part of what business licensing/registration is all about. The local government checks if the business name is already in use, or not.

You should also check to see what Virginia's Doing Business As (DBA) paperwork requirements are.

Why spend time and effort making a logo you can't use, or that you will have to change in a short period of time.


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## orljustin (Apr 12, 2013)

None of them indicate anything to me about why you'd be good to hire.  Beneath the hat?  Swift as an Arrow?


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## DGMPhotography (Apr 12, 2013)

Because I enjoy it, that's what it's about. I want to know if you think the names are catchy. A name doesn't have to mean something. Why would "Daryll Morgan Photography" make me sounds skilled in comparison to anything else? It's just a name- it's the reputation attached to that name that matters.


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## Steve5D (Apr 12, 2013)

DGMPhotography said:


> Because I enjoy it, that's what it's about. I want to know if you think the names are catchy. A name doesn't have to mean something. Why would "Daryll Morgan Photography" make me sounds skilled in comparison to anything else? It's just a name- it's the reputation attached to that name that matters.



Is there an unflattering reputation attached to your actual name? If not, there's really no reason not to use it.

I like the "Straight Arrow Photography" website address on the mock up business card. Why the desire to change it to "Straight As An Arrow Photography"? That doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

The names are not catchy at all, in my opinion and are, in fact, a bit clumsy...


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## Steve5D (Apr 12, 2013)

KmH said:


> Why spend time and effort making a logo you can't use, or that you will have to change in a short period of time.



He mentioned the fact that a credit he had was going to expire soon...


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## Light Guru (Apr 12, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > Why spend time and effort making a logo you can't use, or that you will have to change in a short period of time.
> ...



Business cards are dirt cheep, so coming up with a business name now to save a few bucks on business cards is a poor reason. 




DGMPhotography said:


> Because I enjoy it, that's what it's about. I want to know if you think the names are catchy. A name doesn't have to mean something. Why would "Daryll Morgan Photography" make me sounds skilled in comparison to anything else? It's just a name- it's the reputation attached to that name that matters.



Daryl Morgan Photography is the best one you have listed.


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## KmH (Apr 12, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > Why spend time and effort making a logo you can't use, or that you will have to change in a short period of time.
> ...


Exactly! So K.I.S.S.

Use - Your Name Photography. Even better drop the word Photography, and just use your name, since there is no business yet.


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## DGMPhotography (Apr 12, 2013)

Okay, so I did some experimenting and it's not that exactly that I thought my name wouldn't work, just that I couldn't come up with a logo for it but I did some additional work in Inkscape and discovered this useful trace to bitmap tool so here is my result.



Whatcha think?


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## Steve5D (Apr 12, 2013)

Light Guru said:


> Steve5D said:
> 
> 
> > KmH said:
> ...



Not if he's going to lose the credit he has. It would be stupid to simply let it expire...


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## KmH (Apr 12, 2013)

No one but you, and a few of us here, will know that 'thingy' in front of your name is you holding a camera.

A business card will be a lot smaller than an image of a business card on a computer display


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## DGMPhotography (Apr 12, 2013)

Actually, I designed it to scale. 3.5x2 so try viewing it from that size. Maybe I can try making it a little clearer.


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## texkam (Apr 13, 2013)

35+ years in the design/branding world.
Daryll Morgan Photography with the "D-arrow" symbol is the strongest concept on the table. Now stop!


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## DGMPhotography (Apr 13, 2013)

Okay, but then what does the arrow even represent?


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## Steve5D (Apr 13, 2013)

DGMPhotography said:


> Okay, but then what does the arrow even represent?



You tell us; you're the one who came up with it...


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## DGMPhotography (Apr 13, 2013)

Steve5D said:


> DGMPhotography said:
> 
> 
> > Okay, but then what does the arrow even represent?
> ...



Yeah.... and it made sense when the name was "Swift as an Arrow Photography," not so much with just my name....


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## Steve5D (Apr 13, 2013)

DGMPhotography said:


> Steve5D said:
> 
> 
> > DGMPhotography said:
> ...



Unfortunately, the name didn't make much sense.

Just use your name. 

Underline it.

Done.


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## SCraig (Apr 13, 2013)

Sigh .... I still don't understand why you insist in putting the horse before the cart, but that's your business.  As to the cards:

1.  Many people put business cards in a loose-leaf type binder or scan them.  If the important information, such as name and phone number, is not on the front it is never seen again.

2.  The names are rather cheesy.  They sound like something a cheap private investigator from the 40's would choose.

3.  The logos are cheesier.

4.  There is nothing wrong with using your name.  It is short and easily remembered.

Vista Print does a good job and they are inexpensive to use.  I spent about 15 minutes designing my cards, submitted a full-size TIFF on their web site, and had them in about 10 days.  I think it cost about $20 or so for 500.

Edit ....

If all you want is an important sounding name, how about:

Davidson, Gladstone, and Morgan
Fine Art Photography for Discriminating Clientele
By Appointment ONLY

D. G. Morgan, Pricincipal
Senior Photographer


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## IByte (Apr 13, 2013)

DGMPhotography said:


> Yeah.... and it made sense when the name was "Swift as an Arrow Photography," not so much with just my name....



The D is the bow


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## DGMPhotography (Apr 13, 2013)

Urghh :/


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## CowgirlMama (Apr 13, 2013)

I can't give much business advice, but please don't use "Breaking Dawn". It's the name of a Twilight movie and that's what everyone who sees it is likely to think of, not photography.

I'd probably use your name, if it were me.


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## DGMPhotography (Apr 13, 2013)

CowgirlMama said:


> I can't give much business advice, but please don't use "Breaking Dawn". It's the name of a Twilight movie and that's what everyone who sees it is likely to think of, not photography.
> 
> I'd probably use your name, if it were me.



Haha, very true, I didn't even think of that. Good catch! It's actually "Break of Dawn," not "Breaking Dawn," and I was actually thinking of a Michael Jackson song, but I digress. I will not go with that one. I will try to go with my name, but I still want to have a logo of some sort..


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## Steve5D (Apr 13, 2013)

SCraig said:


> If all you want is an important sounding name, how about:
> 
> Davidson, Gladstone, and Morgan
> Fine Art Photography for Discriminating Clientele
> ...



Ooohhhh... I like that...


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