Assignment 10: Something Random

A home at 3711 Beverly Drive glows with Christmas lights and wreaths on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Dallas. The photo was taken for an SMU TV holiday feature, highlighting the house’s symmetrical décor and nighttime illumination. (Photo by Johnny Crowley)

Taking this photo of the Christmas-decorated house wasn’t just for fun—I was doing it for SMU TV, which made the experience feel more real and professional. It wasn’t just me messing around with a camera anymore. I knew this shot might actually be shown to an audience, so I felt pressure to make it clean, bright, and visually strong. Instead of shooting random things, I had a target and a purpose, and honestly, that made me try harder. It pushed me to look at the scene like something I was presenting—not just something I was standing in front of.

One of the biggest things I think I did well was capturing the mood of the house at night. The Christmas lights, the wreaths on every window, the trees glowing—it all came through in the photo. For SMU TV, I wanted it to feel warm and welcoming, almost like a holiday postcard, and I think I reached that. The centered shot makes the house look powerful and calm, and the reflections on the driveway give it a almost dreamy feel. I like that it looks like a house you could drive up to and feel Christmas right away.

But I’m not gonna pretend it was perfect. I played it safe with this photo. I stayed in one spot too long, didn’t test angles, and I know if this was going on air, more variety would've helped a lot. I also think I should’ve got closer to some details—like the door decorations or the trees wrapped in lights. SMU TV likes visuals that pull viewers in, give them texture, depth, something they haven’t seen before. My shot is strong, but also kinda basic. It works, but it doesn't push the boundary much.

Next time I shoot for SMU TV, I want to approach it like a moving story, not just a picture. I want to try wide shots, close-up shots, weird angles, maybe even get super low to the ground or step way back to show scale. I want people watching the segment to feel like they could step right into the scene. I realized shooting for broadcast isn’t just about a nice picture—it’s about visuals that hold attention. That’s something I’m still learning.

In the end, taking this photo taught me what it feels like to create for an audience, not just myself. It showed me what I do well—lighting, framing, capturing mood—but also what I need to get better at, like taking risks and collecting more than one kind of shot. It’s cool to think that something I captured might be shown on SMU TV, even if it’s not perfect. It makes me wanna keep improving, keep trying new ideas, and come back next time with something even stronger.