Josh is a Los Angeles photographer and educator. He invited me to redo his personal brand in anticipation of a new season of professional applications. We worked together to create a brand that bridged traditional and contemporary aesthetics for a result that was reputable, modern, and confident.
Logo & Typography
The first step was to find a typeface that could communicate a connection to tradition without being overwhelmed by that connection. Something that said, “I know where I’ve come from, but I’m going somewhere.” I suggested a subdued flare serif, Reforma, designed by Pampatype for the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, and it fit the bill. We stacked and left-justified it (a digital convention) with all caps in loose, confident kerning (a print and sculptural convention). Finally, I customized the “J” with a less sentimental descender than the font provides. In the end, we had a logo that works well in large or small sizes, on phone screens or laptops, and embossed or printed.
Collateral Design
From there, I went on to design templates for Josh’s letters, curriculum vitae, printed work samples, and business cards. For continuity with the logo, I continued using Reforma for headings (with slightly different kerning and spacing conventions) and I decided to lean into Times New Roman, the paradigmatically academic and emotionless serif. With slightly wider kerning and larger spacing than usual, I made Times feel fresh while maintaining its aesthetic and associative strengths. After that fairly traditional choice, I was freed to make daring grid and layout decisions, with a spacious left margin and small bottom and right margins. This produced a confident but not subversive result: documents that look both self-assured and decorous.
Website
Finally, I updated the typography and layout of Josh’s portfolio website (www.joshuadavidwatson.com), added a custom favicon, and changed its background to a very dark gray to highlight Josh’s stunning nighttime and low light work, as well as to reference his book, which was printed on black paper. The result is a website with undeniable poise, but that lets Josh’s work speak for itself.
Summary
I’m proud of creating an identity that’s strong enough but quiet enough to play a supporting role to Josh’s great work. It successfully communicates his high standards of excellence, and allows him to speak to his employers, students, and viewers with confidence.