Jacie Smedley’s picture-perfect smile reaches her kind blue eyes and is contagious to everyone around her.
Jacie Smedley is a freshman studying child development and family studies at Tarleton State University, and her dream is to be a child life specialist at a hospital.
“I’d just kind of create an environment to get well because the hospital is such a harsh place,” Smedley said.
Smedley was not always so certain about her future, that is until someone close to her heart went through a life-changing experience that paved the way.
“My best friend actually got diagnosed with cancer in eighth grade. So, she spent a long time in the hospital, and she beat it twice. She was like ‘I think you’d make a really great child life specialist.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t even know what that is, there’s no way,’” Smedley said.
Smedley is overall very people-oriented. She loves her family and has found one of her own in the Phi Mu sorority at Tarleton.
“It’s deeper than the Instagram posts and the cute dresses. I think it’s the memories and the relationships, and just the sisterhood overall. I always have people that will support me and that will be there,” Smedley said.
Since attending college, Smedley has built many relationships both in and outside of her sorority.
“I think that the atmosphere is very special here. You see people and you wave. Everyone here is very respectful and friendly,” Smedley said.
In addition to her studies and being a member of Phi Mu, Smedley also enjoys photography. She started out taking pictures in seventhh grade at her school’s baseball games, and other events such as engagements and baby showers.
“What makes me passionate about it is just capturing those moments. I think that they’re just special. Just the smiles and pictures say way more than words,” Smedley said.
Some of Smedley’s favorite photos were taken at her family’s ranch in Mason, Texas during her older sister’s engagement.
“I was in all camouflage. I was hiding in the bushes, they were about 300 yards away, and I had this really cool shot,” Smedley said. “It was just so much fun and I think what makes it my favorite is that it’s just very close to my heart.”
Her older sister and her husband are very special to Smedley, and she felt honored to capture this milestone in their relationship.
“I’ve kind of watched it grow and how the Lord has worked in this love,” Smedley said. “They talked and wrote letters to each other, and it was just very sweet.”
Overall, Smedley’s photos have a distinct style. She has a preference for bright lighting and colorful backgrounds, with the ultimate goal of wanting her subjects to shine.
“When you’re taking pictures with a camera, always shoot into the sun and try to block out the sun with the subject,” Smedley explained. “Because if the sun is in their eyes, then it’s harsh and it’s just hard to get a good picture when you’re looking into the sun.”
For those who are interested, Smedley recently started an Instagram account dedicated to her photography, @jacielensphotography.
Smedley is not only gifted with her Canon Rebel camera, but also with her words. In her free time, she writes for her hometown newspaper.
“I’m in [the] Mason County Republican Committee under the publicity chair. What I do during my free time most of the time is get in contact with who the next speaker will be and I just write articles.”
Smedley also enjoys reading romance novels. She recommends “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers, a story based on the book of Hosea in the bible.
“I read it in four hours, like in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down,” Smedley said.
There is no doubt that Jacie Smedley embodies the beauty she sees in the world. Through her words and the lens of her camera, she continues to express her love for the people around her.
