The Underestimated 20's: Dorian "Scottie" Wilson

7:00 AM


As I scrolled Facebook I encountered a lot of posts about our 20s being the lazy years of life . I couldn't help but get annoyed at this generic stereotype, and at the fact that people were using this stereotype as an excuse to sit at home and do just that - be lazy. I immediately began thinking of all of my friends, peers, and former classmates that are currently grinding it out - working multiple jobs, in school earning multiple degrees, interning in their dream field. Instead of living up to the stereotype of getting drunk every night, working in fast food, and ending back at home with their parents, a large number of my peers are carrying out their dreams. Photographers, musicians, athletes, bloggers, teachers, and many more professional careers. I wanted to recognize these individuals that were grinding it out, thus, "The Underestimated 20's" series was born.

This week on "The Underestimated 20s" we have Dorian "Scottie" Wilson, a 20something photographer.




I've personally known Dorian since I was a freshman in high school. He was one of those people that you could tell was going to be successful in something artistic or creative. You know the people in high school that would keep up no more than 12 Instagram photos, but had over a million followers? That was Dorian. He was very driven, had clear goals for himself and he, himself, knew that he was going somewhere in life. When we went to college, he grew even more recognition. He began building his brand INTHEEYESOFSCOTTIE early on, and in no time it went from an Instagram name to a brand that people all around us recognized. People from all over the US knew the name Scottie, it was insane for me to observe some I'd met in the awkward stages of life grow into this well-known icon.

In the early years of college he was all about his sketches and graphic design, you could tell he enjoyed it, but something was still missing. One day, about 2-3 years ago, Dorian got his hands on a camera, and I could tell that this was just the beginning. He became alive with this camera in his grasp, it was like he'd finally found his creative outlet. At first he would shoot for fun, but with already having a substantial following, once his work hit Instagram, opportunities for him to expand his photography knowledge began coming out of the woodwork. I remember hitting him up on different occasions only to find that he'd be in a different state each time. He was definitely the king of networking.

Photographer: INTHEEYESOFSCOTTIE (Dorian Wilson) Source: Instagram @intheeyesofscottie


Dorian officially began his photography business INTHEEYESOFSCOTTIE about a year and a half ago. Upon graduating college, Dorian told himself that he would pursue his Master's degree in Film Production and Photography, however, when he looked up the requirements for admission, he noticed he would be required to submit a film or photography portfolio. Seeing that Dorian was more familiar with photography versus motion picture, he began his official journey as a photographer.

Dorian's inspiration comes from various places, in his interview he told me that he's a visual person and when he keeps a keen eye to his surroundings and various images he's previously seen, the ideas begin to flow like a river of water. His style of photography was derived from his three favorite photographers, Russell James, Terry Richardson, and Mario Testino.

Photographer: INTHEEYESOFSCOTTIE (Dorian Wilson) Source: Instagram

When asked where he found his motivation, he proudly explained that his birthday is March 28th, making him a true Aries. As an Aries man, he's a natural go-getter. If he wants something, he'll do anything in his power to achieve it. With the faith in God's plan for his life and his passion for his art, he easily finds the motivation to continue striving for greatness each and every day.

Often times in the heat of pursuing dreams, it's easy to lose sight of the goal and your focus can waiver. Dorian stays focused by making his passion his lifestyle. He eats, sleeps, and breathes photography. He also thrives off the creative vibes of others. His mother always told him "Birds of a feather, flock together." The people that he chooses to hang around and affiliate himself with, all have similar aspirations to his. By feeding off of the energy of one another, they all help to keep one another focused on the end in mind.

Dorian "Scottie" Wilson, INTHEEYESOFSCOTTIE

It's always important to have an end goal, otherwise, what would you be working towards, right? So I asked Dorian his vision for himself in 5 years. He replied, "Five years from now, I will be building my foundation in Atlanta, Georgia. My dream is to work in advertisement. I recently started working for a talent agency called JPervis Talent Agency. This particular agency's talent has been featured in many popular shows such as Vampire Diaries, and The Walking Dead. They also work in conjunction with a popular modeling agency called Click Models. 5 years from now, I'll also be working with them as a most favored photographer." Now, THAT, is what a 5 year goal should look like! What started as a creative outlet, has matured into a realistic dream that is well on its way to accomplishment!

A Message of Gratitude from Dorian, 
 "I have many supporters from my social media persona "Scottie". I definitely want to show my gratitude for their support! Without them, I would not have been able to get noticed by various models and agencies that I have already worked with. I also want to recognize my mentors: Alan, Carlos, and Keilan! I have so much love and respect for them."
Needless to say, I'm proud to say that I've seen Dorian mature and grow into a goal driven man that is pursuing and achieving his goals and aspirations. I hope that Dorian can inspire and/or motivate someone he comes in contact with to go after what they believe in just as he did.
 
If you'd like more information on INTHEEYESOFSCOTTIE, or just want to see more of his work you can:

Follow him on Instagram
Follow him on Tumblr (Viewer's Discretion Advised)
Follow his Twitter
Or Visit his Website 

Stay tuned next week for more 20somethings on their grind! If you would like to be featured, or if you know of someone that you think would be an ideal candidate for "The Underestimated 20's" please email me at mscurlykay@gmail.com.


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