If I may suggest (like you said yourself) - Focus is on the imagery, the logo should not direct the viewers eye away from these. The logo should not be loud, nor should it be too industrialized - It should be unique, light and personal.
Hopefully I've managed to catch that with this design. 1. Font is almost the same as today, but with some more kerning (distance in between). 2. Orange to give more warmth - Today you have a cool yellow and dark blue. I think it would look nicer with just the dark back, orange and silver/grey. 3. A very stylized X shape - Circular lens shape cut in half and reversed. 4. Two drop shadows - One 70% black and then one with 60% black. Stretching downwards. 5. All presented on your dark background colour.
You may suggest anything you like. I am trying NOT to limit myself by going down just one "road" e.g. the artist look for the X'es. Your X'es are a different look that is clean and professional. If you have any others, no matter if they fit what I've said that would be great, I (think) I want a shutter or camera look for the 'o' in eXposure -or- of course anything else you may think is better (rising/setting sun, etc). I like the color style you picked (opposite X'es -vs- the words). Actual colors I'm not too sure about, but that's least important right now.
Here's some really unique X's They are created from the outside profile of the font (which is almost identical to the one you have.) Then sliced in half, reversed and an inside stroke with reversed gradient - This balances the rest of the font gradient as well as giving a metallic feel that is truly scalable.
Yes I know celluloid is a bit a outdated and yes I did buy a Pentax K20D a couple of months ago... still the 35x24mm film is a recognizable icon for exposure.
Will try and find another icon... just focus on the font/colour in the meantime.
#51 I like the film idea. Anything that can convey photography is welcome as I'm finding people are slightly puzzled by the name. I thought exact (getting it right) and exposure (film or camera properly set) is sorta obvious, but friend and client comments are lack luster on the designs so far. Here is one from a professional in Dallas who works with lots of hospitals: "David, not exactly sure what I am supposed to do, but they are all just ok. They all need more PUNCH. more vibrancy. Just my thought."
Some of it is my fault for the name, but I do like it... And not changing it. But I guess I need another design path. One person even didn't realize the "o" was a shutter and just a fancy looking O sort of like with the X'es. Obviously I'm not going to get to everyone, but I need a symbol or look that gives the hint of photography. Or just put Photography in the name below eXacteXposure? A catchphrase would be obvious, but haven't thought of any good ones.
Entry's #47, 48, 49, etc. just don't do it for me I guess. Maybe it's the font or a too retro-modern look of the X'es. I'm just hoping I'm not giving good direction or insight into what I'm after. Obviously you can look at website and see my attempt. Any logo shouldn't be too tall as it will be the website header and stationary header and I don't want it to be too overpowering.
Thank you for that thorough feedback, it really helps. Normally when you meet with a design client you sit down and discuss pros and cons, tossing ideas - but here at LT that process is a bit slow or strained - so the way you've given feedback is great.
Honestly I can tell you I'm not 100% satisfied with what I managed to produce for you so far - but I'm not giving up. :-)
I also see from the other contributions I'm not the only one having some problems illustrating the business name/idea - even though photograph businesses are fairly common here at LT.
Will ponder on this over the weekend and then will see if we can put some "punch" into this!
A new picturemark and wordmark: 1. Partial celluloid frame transfer over to speed lines that shape an 'E' that ends in an 'X' 2. a rounded tight font with three rhythm breakers - Two exact 'X's and an iris. 3. The 'X' are all the same shape - Exact and symmetrical.
Well balanced tight and representative - a logo that works 2009 as well as 2019.
The picture mark can of course be used separately on merchandise and PR items.
With slogan - "We Control the Light" This implicates that you (exactexposure.com) is "getting it right" all the time - because you have the knowledge and skill ti control the light. And light is what photography is about - no matter the genre.
#137 & 138... Yes, I do like it. Placing the symbol into the logo might be an option... I'd like to leave the e as lower case, so not sure how that might look. Or have a unique look for both eX in each word? Maybe work on the eX integrated as a look that can stand on its own too? .com on top of the name makes me look at that first... Maybe put it at the end at 90 degrees or something else?
I like the tagline too... "We Control the Light" is very good. I want to talk to friends about this and see what they think.
Think I've covered all your previous thoughts/requests with this one: 1. Small 'e' in pictorial mark 2. The 'ex' implemented into the word mark - Now it looks homogeneous and the logo is more recognizable. 3. COM is on the end - Not the top.
Thanks... I like #152, but could you get rid of the top eX and put the film look into the actual word? I'm interested in how that would look.
I'd like to see the overall font slightly thinner (but maybe keep the eX thicker, maybe not?). And I'd like to see the tagline in all caps (same size of all the letters).
Hi, well actually it doesn't look that bad at all. I understood from your first comment that you wanted to corporate it into the wordmark, but since I'm a bit stubborn I wanted to 'expose' you for the other alternative first - the pictoral mark. :-)
I was afraid that the distance between the letters would become to big and that the visibility of the 'ex' would vanish. But hey, it seems to work.
Yes, yes... I like the mods. I completely understand about "exposing" me to other ideas, I do NOT want to keep running down a dead end road and it was actually the EX with the film integrated that I liked. I'll let others know about the mods and see what they think too.
New 'X' design - In the shape of a tick. Like in a tick box - 'exact exposure? - checked! Tick that box!' A more open and precise font. And a new picture mark - Similarities with National Geographics yellow rectangel.
All-in-all a very clear logo and the 'tick box - X' is useful as a symbol on the web site as a list marker.