Parker Smith

My name is Parker Smith, and I’m a member of the Spring 2021 MOSAIC photography staff. I am a senior majoring in Management and minoring in Sales and Real Estate. Typically, I claim Jasper, Alabama as my hometown because it’s where I went to high school. But the truth is I’m from Curry, a small, unincorporated, no red-light town on the outskirts of Jasper. You could say I was raised on a farm since we have had cattle, horses, chickens, dogs, cats, and even sugar gliders, but it wasn’t exactly Ole McDonald’s. 

I began my journey at UA in the Spring of 2017 with my eyes set on becoming an Accounting major. I then switched to Management when I realized most accounting jobs would not coincide with my love of constantly being on the move. During my sophomore year, either I wasn’t busy enough, or I was itching to put my unfinished education to use because I decided to start a pest control business, Crimson Mosquito, here in Tuscaloosa. I set the opening day for April 1st, 2020; however, when it finally arrived, we were four months into a global pandemic. Nevertheless, my fellow Tuscaloosians and their unwavering hatred for mosquitoes made the year worthwhile. Upon graduating in August, I intend to stay in Tuscaloosa to finish the 2021 mosquito season before moving to Colorado and pursuing a career in real estate management.

Someone once said, “Boys never actually grow up. Their toys just get bigger and more expensive.” I’m not sure who said it, but they were right. I didn’t care about taking pictures until the day I went home for quarantine and played with my father’s new drone. Yes, I mean played. Like a child on Christmas morning, I was aimlessly flying it around and trying to land on the horses’ backs. I even flew a mile over the river and through the woods (literally) to grandma’s house, interrupted Jeopardy, and received a wave through the window. The drone was nothing like the old Flip Video cameras I use to play with when I was 12-years-old. I immediately picked up videography as my Covid hobby, invested in a GoPro, and began filming every wakeboarding, dirt biking, tubing, clay shooting, and hiking adventure that I could.

In November 2020, I journeyed across the United States camping out of my truck and meeting up with friends along the way. After three days of packing and loosely planning, I spent twenty-two-days days driving 8,000 miles across sixteen states and took hundreds of pictures and videos. I love filming, but after reviewing the footage, I realized that I have much to learn. That is why I’m excited to be a part of this Spring 2021 MOSAIC class. This will be the last honors class that I have the privilege of taking at UA, and I cannot think of a better way to complete the journey.