Designed New Logo. Critique Please

Here are two new logos I am working on.
What do you guys think?
and, what can I do to improve it?

I like the red one, but I like the larger "C" of the second one... Maybe put a line underneath Chad Andreo to stop the word "photography" blending in.

Is this a template that's given out free? I'm seeing this type "logo" almost identical everywhere. Top is better than the bottom one.

Tiberius47 wrote in post #11380921
I like the red one, but I like the larger "C" of the second one... Maybe put a line underneath Chad Andreo to stop the word "photography" blending in.

i will try that and repost.

MJPhotos24 wrote in post #11380931
Is this a template that's given out free? I'm seeing this type "logo" almost identical everywhere. Top is better than the bottom one.

No,
This was all created in cs5 with no template. I actually used 2 different fonts on both logos for my name and photography.

Love the C&C. keep them coming.

edit: Also the colors are interchangeable. So I am willing to take advice on that too.

I dont like that at all. it's icky.

Wow, that's original...using aperture blades.

It's been done too many times. Try and come up with something new or hire a graphic designer.

I don't care for either, sorry to be blunt.

Suggestions:

Change the colors - generally, red and black are a really bad idea unless you're a good designer who knows how to balance the two. I'm not too keen on the light grey color either because it's light enough to blend in too much in a light background. A logo should look pretty good on whatever surface you chose to use it on (or have two versions, one B&W, one in color.) Make sure if you're dead set on using that grey that it's actually a color and not a transparency to save yourself headaches down the road.

Aperature blades are dated and it doesn't actually look very aperature-y, if I can coin a word. Too many blades. The red logo especially doesn't flow, making the name look like Had Andreo - not good for name recognition.

Pick a font. Stick with it. The subtle differences between the two are distracting. Also, if you're dead set on having the word photography so spaced out, check your kerning very carefully - it needs to look proportioned.

I would love to see you play around with a logo based on your initials - after fighting with my ungainly P in MP, yours look like a designer's dream.

Good luck!