We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wisdom Warner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Wisdom, appreciate you joining us today. What was one of the most important lessons you learned in school? Why did that lesson stick with you?

I’m currently a third year advertising and branding student at SCAD Atlanta. One of the biggest concepts we have to attain in college is life lessons. I don’t have just a single story to provide, its an analyzation as to the most underrated aspect of life that I looked over for years, and that is having the right friends. When I started my journey in college, my sights were set on Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. I didn’t have much of a focus on what school to go to after high school, because I really just cared being to myself and working some job that would possibly pay me well. There I studied political science and even tried to work my way into the student government association. It wasn’t my best moment in life, but I learned a lot about dealing with large groups of people who may not agree with you. After about a year at Alabama A&M University, I transferred to SCAD, simply because I realized that I needed more industry art-related inspiration around me so that I can have a stronger understanding of how to be an artist, but to challenge myself to find a different career path. Before my first quarter at SCAD during 2020, I picked up a camera like most people bored at home during the pandemic and started taking self-portraits. I even participate in the vogue challenge that birthed the exposure of so many models to this day. I thought to myself, “I can become the strongest photographer in Atlanta” every single day I clicked the shutter. This created a drive when I started my first quarter at SCAD. Fortunately, I met a few people with a similar drive like me as well. Their names are Jack Selden, Ilijah Simpson, and Tristan Winchester. Through all three of them I learned how to use the major Adobe platforms like Illustrator, PhotoShop, and Premiere Pro. With them, I didn’t have to wait on classes to learn how to be technically skilled, and eventually I even learned to be more skilled in conceptualizing. Now that about two years have passed since I’ve met them, I have my work on the walls of SCAD, I’ve been able to work a couple of celebrities and I have concepts to execute almost on a daily basis. All in all, I wouldn’t have been able to have the amount of knowledge, growth, and opportunities if I hadn’t met them. Even if I didn’t choose the right college at first, I know I chose the right friends.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

My name is (John) Wisdom Warner and I’m a creative director, photographer, cinematographer, and journalist. I’m pursuing a B.F.A. in advertising and branding at SCAD Atlanta, with a minor in film & tv production, along with photography. I took my first steps into the world of advertising with my first internship with Matlock ADPR. From there I was able to do campaigns for the Georgia Lottery and other local/ global businesses. Working out the execution for campaigns isn’t the only thing I do these days however. I’m most proud of my photo work. I shoot very dramatic portraits and oftentimes find myself shooting fashion collections. Being local to Atlanta makes it a little difficult to find the brands that I want, but we all have to start somewhere and I believe my talents transform these local fashion brands and Atlanta natives into houses and celebrities.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I knew that I never truly needed college, I just needed a drive. I’ve spent a lot of time taking classes that haven’t really aided my creative journey and a lot of money on resources I didn’t need. If i had that time back, I’d focus more on having the finances I need early, just so I can spend time on conceptualizing stronger projects.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I simply just do goof business and am great at what I do. There’s no better strategy to attain more clients, then to become greater at your craft. Because at the end of the day, you’re solving a problem and creating demand. That’s the most important/

Contact Info:

• Website: WisdomMedia.info
• Instagram: @Wisdom.tiff

Image Credits
Photographer/ Creative director: (John) Wisdom Warner