Do you think my website needs a logo or word mark?

Someone recently suggested to me that a logo and branding were absolutely necessary to my success. For a few years, however, my thinking has been that I'm a photographer, not a fortune 500 company, and nobody is going to care about my logo, and that my images will speak for themselves. By the very nature of typing in my URL, you know my name and it will load in the title bar and 'about' pages and that a flashy logo would just detract, and "Michael Kelley" in Helvetica at the top of the page hardly counts as 'branding.'

I was thinking of my branding as the minimal approach, bright colors, straight-to-the-point, jumping off the page aspect that my site conveys. All business, but all awesome at the same time.

So I'm conflicted. Do you think my site is hurt or helped by not having a word mark at the top of the site? I quite like the minimal approach, but I'm open to suggestions.

Please keep in mind that I am aiming more towards retail and commercial operations (interior designers, retail stores, architectural clients make up about 80% of my business with the odd commercial job thrown in there every few months) as opposed to real estate these days, if that has any impact on it.

The site is www.mpkelley.com - thanks for any feedback.

edit: i added it. check it out.

I do feel like the site is missing something without a header/logo. It seems like I just got directed to a portfolio gallery rather than a home page (even though it is a gallery, haha). In saying that though, I've visited your site before and it was never something that occured to me until you had pointed it out.

I do really like the minimalism approach as well and you can certainly insert something to have the consistency of a logo/branding without ruining that approach. I've seen a couple minimal sites that just inserted their logo at the top left of the page along with the menu.

If SEO is a concern (and perhaps you have enough leads as it is) i'd definitely recommend having a title in there that 1) locates you and 2) says what you do.

On the whole, though, I'm with you on the idea that we don't all need corporate style branding. I've seen your work and in my opinion it does enough in terms of convincing the prospective client that they're dealing with an established and competent business.

I think you do need to identify who you are, that you're a real person. You also need to identify where you are.

Does it need a logo or typed branding? Yes.

Does the logo / typed branding matter? no.

I believe that adding some sort of watermark / typed branding logo will help your logo look more professional. But I don't think the actual type of the logo will make or break your client base. Draw a few things up or get a designer to give you a few options and pick one you like most.

I added some header text from reading your input. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Thanks guys!

Lookin good to me, doesn't detract from the website and lets someone know exactly where they are and who you are.

Did you develop this site on your own?

Mike, your work speaks for itself. If you feel like you need something, keep it subtle and don't break the flow of your website.

looks good! I'd suggest capitalizing your name on the page title (shows attention to detail) but it works!

Fixed - thanks!

I am I designer myself specializing in logos. I think that you could improve your site with a logo. The site is very clean and immediately shows that you are a great photographer with the gallery, but I think that you could just add a bit more professionalism to the websites appearance with a logo. If you are interested in a logo, perhaps I could help you.