Photo Assignment 2: Three types of light

DIFFUSED AND ARTIFICIAL. Lucky Lou’s iconic neon sign twinkles as the sun sets on the second annual “Glizzy Fest” in Denton, Texas, on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. ©2025 Rubyanne Moley/SMU

DIRECT AND DIFFUSED. A corndog, topped with mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise, sits ready to be eaten in a plastic container on a wooden tabletop at the second annual Glizzy Fest in Denton, Texas, on Sept. 14, 2025. ©2025 Rubyanne Moley/SMU

DIFFUSED AND ARTIFICIAL. From left, Alexis Martin, 25, Rayn, 24, and Tre Robling, 24, pause for a cigarette before heading into Cool Beans Bar in Denton, Texas on September 14, 2025. ©2025 Rubyanne Moley/SMU

DIFFUSED AND ARTIFICIAL. A young couple plays a serious game of pool under the neon signs of Lucky Lou’s Bar in Denton, Texas, on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. ©2025 Rubyanne Moley/SMU

For my shoot this week, I wanted to capture an event that started in the day and continued into the night to exhibit many light types. By chance, a couple of friends expressed interest in attending Lucky Lou's second annual "Glizzy Fest", a social event for celebrating hot dogs and community spirit. So, I grabbed my camera and drove 50 minutes to Denton to secure some photos and a mean corndog. 

What I did right: The vibe was lively and casual, and I feel like my pictures captured that atmosphere. I really focused on getting people in as many pictures as I could, so I went around the bar asking to take photos. Everyone said yes, excited to share their memories with me to present to you. I caught people in the moment they clinked their drinks or cued up for their next shot in a game of pool. I also planned some pictures before arriving, imagining in my head what I would see and how I should showcase it. 

What I did wrong: The only questionable part about Lucky Lou’s hosting such a festival was that across from the bar was an apartment complex and some not-so-appealing fast food storefronts. The band, which was a mix of skilled players and “Glizzy” fest-goers, was staged with this commercial sight in the background. Therefore, photos of the band and the crowd often tended to be overwhelmed by this, even if the background was not in focus. Additionally, since I was taking pictures in so many settings of varying light levels (inside the dark bar, sunset, dusk), I had to constantly change my settings. I couldn’t even tell you each type of setting I used the most. And naturally, with the high-paced energy of this event, I was constantly running around to get the right shot, often focusing on avoiding people or being blocked by random poles and signs. 

Here’s how I fixed it: I made sure I was spamming the capture button the entire night. At first, I was delicate and took one to two shots each time I had a vision. Once I started to review the shots, I realized this was not a good strategy because I kept having distractions in my pictures, or the ratio would be bad. This ended up giving me plenty of options to choose from by the time we were done. I also made sure to take test shots every time I went outside or inside to readjust my settings. Lastly, I held myself confidently as I used my camera, as a confident photographer will produce better work. If I were scared of what people were thinking of me while I was running around this event with a camera, my pictures would not be of the highest quality (I was a tiny bit nervous at first).

Overall, this was a fun shoot. I particularly think the photo titled “SidewalkTalk” is my favorite. It uses artificial light and diffused, while giving the feel of direct light. There is emotion, conversation, and life within its frames. Additionally, the Lucky Lou’s sign photo follows the golden spiral very well, which made it a good shot.