Jake Smith knows exactly what he wants to be when he’s older: a Formula One photographer.
It might sound like a lofty ambition for a teenage boy with cerebral palsy.
But Jake, who is “obsessed” with taking pictures, has already overcome a lot in his life and his passion for photography burns brighter than any flashbulb.
Acting as official snapper for his go-karting brothers, Jake is known at racetracks the length of the UK.
And the dedicated 16-year-old wants to keep getting better and better, to the stage where he can eventually progress to covering major events like the Monaco Grand Prix.
Youngster is chasing his dream
The teenager lives near Mintlaw with parents Claire and John, twin brother Nathan and 10-year-old Finlay.
His interest in photography started with taking snaps on his phone.
Soon enough he caught the bug, and was asking for a proper camera for Christmas.
Jake spent lockdown devouring Youtube videos about the hobby, while practising morning, noon and night at home.
Claire added: “This is what he wants his career to be.
“He’s obsessed about photography, this is all he wants and all he talks about. It is his life.
“Jake would love to be a Formula One photographer, the whole family is really into racing and that’s his dream.”
‘Everything is a challenge for Jake’
But Jake needs a wheelchair to get about and has a range of issues which mean taking pictures for him isn’t the same simple process it is for the rest of us.
“His cerebral palsy makes things tough for him, he has lots of challenges to overcome,” Claire said.
“He has limited use of his hands, his only good one is his left and even that can be quite difficult to use at times.
“Jake has no depth perception, so his vision is challenging too.”
The mum added that one of Jake’s symptoms is having low muscle tone, which leaves his muscles too relaxed and “floppy”.
That means, she said, “everything he does is exhausting, everything is a challenge”.
Despite his physical limitations, Jake continues to win over an increasing number of social media followers with his creative flair.
Passion for racing runs in the family
Nathan and Finlay are both keen go-karters, travelling all over to take part in competitions – from races in Golspie to contests in the south of England.
Every trip is a family outing – and Jake is as big a part of that as anyone.
Claire added: “It’s brilliant that he has the photography, if he didn’t then he would be stuck on the side watching without being involved.
“He is just as important a part of the races as them, and he loves it as much as his brothers do.
“Everybody at the races knows Jake, and the pictures he takes in the paddock behind the scenes are what many people enjoy the most.”
His work received a big thumbs up when, with professional photographers unable to attend races across Scotland due to lockdown rules, event organisers asked if they could share Jake’s images instead.
Nature photography won award
Away from the thrill of the racetrack, Jake especially enjoys capturing images of animals.
And his family built a bird hide in the back garden as the perfect 16th birthday present.
Mum Claire says the Mintlaw Academy pupil can spend hours in there watching the local wildlife, and waiting for just the right moment to press the shutter.
Jake has even been known to wait there until midnight to get pictures of passing badgers.
And when he starts fifth year soon, the youngster will spend every Tuesday at the Waulkmill Menagerie petting farm taking pictures of the animals there.
The 16-year-old received a boost recently with a special prize at the Mintlaw Academy awards ceremony this year –
Funds to help families dealing with ‘heartbreaking’ situations
Jake is now raising money for north-east children’s charity Charlie House by allowing people to take whatever images they like from the galleries on his Facebook page in exchange for a donation.
Claire explained that the fundraiser was Jake’s idea, after people started asking him if they could buy some of his pictures.
And they chose Charlie House as they feel a kinship with the young people and their families the organisation supports.
She said: “Over Jake’s lifetime, we have seen many families who have children with life-limiting conditions, so this is close to our hearts.
“We feel very fortunate that Jake is super healthy in that way, we have been in rooms doing therapy with families who are less fortunate and it’s absolutely heartbreaking.
“What they go through is beyond thinking about, they are amazing.
“You see life through different eyes after seeing that.
“Having lived through what we have lived through makes you realise how crucial this support is.”
He has raised more than £1,000 so far and the collection will remain open until the end of the month.
People can click here to visit his page and donate.
More information is available online about Charlie House’s ongoing Big Build Appeal – which will pay for a new specialist care centre in Aberdeen.
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