By Sydney Fairbanks
Jambar Contributor
Many students work with media outside of classes, either through Youngstown State University organizations or as entrepreneurs.
Junior biology major Mickenzie Mosti is one student who has created her own photography business.
After taking a break from studies to travel internationally, Mosti began her photography journey in July 2020.
“I then decided to shadow my really good friend who is a photographer,” Mosti said. “I shadowed with her for two years, and now this year, I’ve launched my own business.”
Mosti’s services include timeless and lifestyle photography for $75 an hour and wedding photography for $175 an hour. Mosti said she plans on raising her prices once she builds clientele.
For timeless and lifestyle photography, Mosti said she loves taking pictures of people and animals with close attention to the detail.
“I really like capturing the details and making sure that people can just remember the day the way that I saw it instead of just going through the day and not seeing the whole picture,” Mosti said.
Carter Cook, a sophomore multimedia communications major, is the videographer for the Division of Student Affairs and Athletics Department at YSU. Cook was introduced to videography through an Austintown community television class his freshman year at Austintown Fitch High School.
Cook said videography is more than just pointing a camera and recording.
“There’s such an art behind what a creator can make of [videography]. There’s artists that can paint, and I think, especially with photography and videography, it’s how the creator makes the video,” Cook said.
The YSU Communications Department offers high-end equipment for students to borrow, such as large video camcorders, DSLR cameras, lighting kits, tripods and audio recording devices.
Equipment can be checked out from equipment checkout on the second floor of Bliss Hall for personal or school use.
While students in media have priority for equipment check out, all students can partake.
Dan McCormick, studio manager and broadcast engineer, said the studio allows students to test gear that they may be interested in purchasing.
“They can get their hands on something, really put it through its paces, and say ‘you know what, that camera I was going to buy, I don’t think that’s the one for me. I think I’m going to get something like this’ based on the experience they had with something we offer to them freely,” McCormick said.
McCormick said content creation can be an outlet for students to learn about industries, places or perspectives.
“If I’m helping someone promote a handbag that they make from scratch, I’m going to learn about the entire process. If you’re a curious person, it’s very rewarding to find out about things that you normally wouldn’t have a first-person view of,” McCormick said.