Your opinion is needed. :)

[qwRad]

I prefer the first too (qwRad, it looks like you didn't actually vote on the poll, since I'm the only one who voted Vier at the moment).
...

Thanks. I noticed this too now and actually voted.

[conropl]

First one for me also.

The only way the second one makes sense is if you are planning on concentrating on coastal landscapes, but David is correct in that it looks a bit like clip art.

[Sheiky]

Hi Rocco,

I voted for Vier, because I didn't get the photography hint right away in the beacon logo. Also it does look like a standard clip art image with your own text.

I am curious though why you chose these names? Also since they are quite different.
I know "Vier" is how you'd write the letter four in Dutch and German and as CLS mentioned a few other things in different languages. Anyway "vier" is therefor very easy to pronounce and understand by Dutch people. I am wondering how you(American?) would pronounce it and how people would understand it. If you would have to spell it every time, that could cost you potential customers.
For instance I have a website with the Dutch word actie in it(English: action). I always write it with a letter c, but due to changes in spelling(later in 2006) a lot of people write it with a k(as it should now, but as I've never learned it so it looks funny to me). I always have to explain how my website is written and if I would make my money from it, that would be something that would irritate me a lot.(unless I'd get both websites of course )

[Rocco]

Hi Rocco,

I am curious though why you chose these names? Also since they are quite different.

Yeah, Beacon because of the lighthouse. An iconic source of light. The confusion is even greater with people who aren't photographers. I had my own version of the vector art I had made but I really don't do very well with vector.. That's when I called Boss Graphic. He threw me the "vier" curve ball, and I'm really glad he did.

Vier is my last name. It is pronounced just like the German numeral, but here in America everyone pronounces it like "Veer", and even then there is a common mispronunciation of "Vire".

I really wanted to stay away from a "so and so photography" type of name because everyone does it. Really difficult to find a name that has the .com, .net, and .org domains available. I like Vier Image Studios, though. Never occurred to me to just use my last name.. and I really like what he came up with.

I have asked just about everyone I know and somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 strangers at a coffee shop. The Beacon got quite a few weird reactions, i.e. BACON, frozen fish seller, restaurant, etc. Not to mention some of the points made here about how it should also be a clean watermark that doesn't distract from an image, which the beacon logo will.

I'm pretty sure I'm going with Vier Image Studios. Thanks a bunch guys!

[btaylor]

+ 1 for Vier (first one). Much simpler and less distracting than the beacon logo.

[Sheiky]

Vier is my last name.

Then it seems like an even easier choice Vier makes a lot of sense then and even with the occasional mispronounciation it's (IMO)much better than Beacon.
I share your thought on the Image Studio part vs Photography. While it can make you stand out, it can also rule you out. Make sure the tags of your website do include photography, because that and your name are the first two things people will be searching for.