I don't have any problem with the leaves=freshness symbolism. It also may generally relate to your photography (if you do landscapes and such (i don't know)). Really all that matters about meaning is if you're happy with it. I find that most people, when it comes to personal marketing endeavors, are willing to afford the artist a large amount of "symbolic & thematic breathing room" (if you will) in his branding. So, if you're happy, the client/visitor is happy.

The problem I have with this is with the blockiness of the lettering in relation to the fluidity of the leaves where they interact. The space with the leaves is quite beautiful, but then my eyes are attacked when they venture out into the spine of the "R" and both the top and bottom cleffs of the "G". I think if you refine those shapes and get more of a consistent fluidity flowing from the leaves it'll be much more cohesive. If it's not clear what I mean, let me know and I can do a quick example in illustrator (I'd do one now, but I'm in a bit of a rush).

Hope that helps!

penn

RG/leaves is a great concept. It would be good though to see some other type options there, perhaps something more freehand or casual.

The size of the 'graphic design...' text is so tiny compared to the RG I just don't know how practical you mark will be unless displayed at every large sizes. How about stacking the text or finding a narrower font you can set at a larger size?

Finally and this is very much just a personal opinion, I think you can find a more interesting face than Helvetica for your name.

Overall the logo could use a few tweeks:
1. The upper lobe on the R seems too short, I would consider
bringing the waist down a bit closer to the baseline.
2. Line up the right edge of the upper serif on the G with the right edge of its throat
3. The upper serif on the G doesn't work with the other serifs.

One final comment in terms of marketing... A basic principle of marketing is that divergence has more impact on consumers, and therefore more successful,than convergence. The description under your logo mentions both Graphic Design and Photography. You may want to taylor the focus on one area depending on the audience you are communicating too. In my own experience, what customers look for in a graphic designer differs from a photographer as they are really different mediums.

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Michael Browers
www.michaelbrowers.com

Thanks for all of your feedback, it really did help with the refining process.

Here are the changes that I made to the logo:

I am alot happier with it, but i'm gonna keep playing around with it 'cause it still doesn't quite hve the right "feel" to it yet ;) (that's horribly ambiguous I know :)

Thanks,

Rick

The star thing isn't really working I'm afraid. It just kind of floats there.

You should probably find a typeface with true small capitals or manually adjust the weights, because right now the G, D, and P on the bottom line look very dark compared to the rest of their words.

The modern serif face in your RG ligature and the older style in your name seem to clash. I'd either choose more similar styles or go back to sans-serif.

The horizontal line is good.

How about showing us the RG in a totally different font style? IMO the current rigidity does not lend itself to the natural motif.

Agree with zebiz....the star is just dumb.

This is a big step backwards. The serif face you now have for your name no longer matches your mark. The star means nothing and in no way relates to the rest of the mark. The top of the "G" looks unfinished.

I liked the look of the Helvetica much better. To me, the serif face paired with the line reminds me of a law office logo.

Forgive the crudeness of the sketch, but here is what I meant before about smoothing the serifs on the "R" and "G" of the mark:

I just used a face that had more curve to its serifs, but you can modify yours to have a crisper didot-like finish. I'm just thinking that if you add a curve to the serifs it'll soften the hardness and blockiness that, right now, plagues the mark.

penn