All posts by Mary Shelly

Food, Interviews, Multimedia Workshop, Pittsburgh, snack walk

Katie’s Kandy Coverage

During a snack walk around the city, we had a chance to stop into Katie’s Kandy located on Wood Street.

Bright colors lit up the space as candy-filled containers stretched along the walls.

With selections including Clark Bars, Goo Goo Clusters, Gold Rock Candy, and Bubble Gum, Katie’s is referred to as the “haven for nostalgic candy”.

At the time, a mother and daughter were working together.

“This is my relaxation,” the mother says. “I work at a very stressful job during the day. . .and then I come here.”

The two are able to bond over running the store.

When Katie’s gets “new” candy, they have to try it and make sure it’s fresh.

“I say ‘Um no Honey, we had these 20 years ago,’ and we go through it,” the mother says.

With over 400 choices of bulk candy, there’s something there for everyone. Glass-bottled sodas, pinatas, and colorful cards are sold as well.

“When you’re leaving you’re definitely happy,” the mother says.

Katie’s Kandy, located in four stores on Wood Street, Fifth Avenue, in the Clark Building, and in the Federated Tower, is accessible to anyone in downtown Pittsburgh.

Multimedia Workshop

Never Give Up

The documentary “The Secret” explains how to achieve success in life. In short, the secret is the law of attraction.

When people hit a rough spot in the life, the easiest thing to do is complain. “It’s too hard,” someone might say. “I can’t do it.”

Suddenly, it’s as if you can’t. A wall was built between you and your dreams—and you’re the one who built it.

The greatest thing about progress is that oftentimes, it’s a state of mind.

The secret is actually quite simple, and a whole lot easier than you may think.

If you want good things to come into your life, speak those things into existence. Say what you want aloud. Let yourself hear it. Then go get it.

Believe you can and you will.

No, it won’t always be easy. No, it won’t always come quickly. But the first step in achieving what you’re reaching towards, is simply reaching towards it.

Camera Tips, Pittsburgh, Tips for Journalism

Getting the Right Picture with an iPhone Camera; Campus Sights

Among all the unique qualities of Point Park University, the best is the campus sights located right in the heart of Pittsburgh.

Walking around, it is hard to not stop and take pictures of the unique architecture and all the skylines.

But how do you get the right picture? This is a common issue for many students as they don’t always carry the proper camera equipment and only have the camera on their iPhone.

How can you tweet a picture of your new home if your pictures are turning out too light or too dark?

In a lesson with PPU Grad student Rebecca Lessner, we learned how to do just that.

When taking pictures on an iPhone there are a few settings that can help you achieve the right picture.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. In photography it is the range from the lightest point to the darkest point that can be seen in a photo. When taking a picture, turn on HDR and your subject will be properly lit with a better balance of contrast.

Sky walk
Boulevard of the Allies Sky walk
Academic Hall

Though you cannot always rely on this effect, oftentimes it will help you achieve a greater picture.

Use the AE/AF Lock on your iPhone to access a perfect focus and exposure in a photo. To do this, hold your screen on the area you want to focus. You will notice a yellow box appear quickly around that area and your screen should read “AE/AF LOCK”.

CMI

This is most effective in videos because it will stay focused on the subject you want instead of switching to a new subject.

The last and easiest tip is to just tap on an area where there is too much light coming into the picture. This should also help balance the light exposure in a photo.

Hello Bistro
Studio View

It is best to never take a picture with too much light behind your subject, however if you can’t get to an area with better lighting, just tapping the screen will do wonders

Adjusting the light and color levels after taking a picture is also always resourceful in getting the picture you’re looking for.

Try using these tips to achieve the best pictures of your campus and all the surrounding sights..