Today we’d like to introduce you to Arielle (Scoot) Holloway.
Hi Arielle (Scoot), we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Creating has always been a passion of mine. For a while, I did not have the time to invest in it because I was consumed with playing basketball for majority of my life. Once I graduated from college, COVID forced me to take a gap year between undergrad and graduate school. During that time, I tried cultivating several different hobbies and photography was the only one that stuck. My brother was preparing to leave to go overseas and play professionally, and I really wanted to document his training journey. That’s what I consider the origin story of Scoot Took It, but I can remember being in 9th grade and helping out Ty Freeman with a shoot he did at Miller Grover High School. He may not remember, lol, but I definitely do. Watching him work and seeing how the work came out and how much the athletes loved it inspired me to join yearbook later on in high school which gave me some of the foundation I needed to understand photography.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Unlike a lot of other creatives, I came into the industry with a lot of strong connections. Being a former athlete, a lot of people already knew my name and face from basketball so they were very willing to allow me to come in and take pictures of their team, players, training sessions, etc. My OG has been the media director over at The Skill Factory for a couple of years, so provided me with what seems like endless opportunities to come practice my craft. He always stressed to me how important it was to get out and shoot. He would answer any question I had, give me tips on how to shoot sports, build rapport with coaches and players, and a ton of other stuff. Too much to name really. The deeper I find myself in this industry, the more mentors I form relationships with. People like Ryan Parker (@freekeythree on Instagram) and Mercedes Oliver (@mercedesoliver.jpg on Instagram) gave me an opportunity of a lifetime and introduced me to a whole new level of sports photography. I learned so much working with them and the rest of that team. It was really a game changing experience.
There have been some tough moments like not having up to date equipment, getting turned down for jobs, and dealing with an oversaturated market but nothing has been too hard really. I have a great team around me who is always willing to pitch in and help whenever I need them to, so that helps a lot with managing stress and keeping my head and the business above water.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a photographer from the eastside of Atlanta. I specialize in sports, primarily basketball, but I enjoy shooting all sports. I’m not sure what I’m most known for so that’s a good question, lol. I would say it’s between my black and white photos and my style of shooting. I like to use certain angles to convey the feeling that you are watching the game yourself when you view my work. I want it to feel like you’re sitting courtside. I feel that I take the most pride in my black and white photography though. When you remove the color, it’s like removing the distractions. You can just focus on the moment within the photo.
From what I’ve heard others say, some things that set my work apart from others are my ability to execute whatever vision I have planned for each photo, the storytelling I try to convey in my work, how I time the shots, and my slogan of “It’s Just Work” or #IJW for short lol.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Two words… Mamba Mentality. I feel like that’s the best way to encompass everything it takes to be successful.
I use that phrase for just about every area of my life. The idea of relentlessly striving to be your best self and doing whatever it takes to reach that is what motivates me each and every day. Kobe Bryant has been my favorite player since I was like 7 or 8 years old. Back then, it was because I wanted to play basketball like him, but as I got older and became more interested in who he was as a person, I learned that there is no one on this planet with a stronger work ethic. I started studying him. His game, his mindset, his work ethic and I learned so many different things. I learned that without sacrifice, there is no success. Your focus has to be laser sharp. You must have the mental capacity to accept challenges and crush them. Outwork everyone, even your homies. And most importantly, never stop learning. You should always be a student of the game. Ask for advice and input from the people in your industry that you look up to. Same way Kobe did with Michael Jordan and how Kyrie Irving did with Kobe Bryant.
The Mamba Mentality is the only way.
Contact Info:
- Email: scoottookit@gmail.com
- Website: www.scoottookit.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scoottookit/
Image Credits
In the photo of myself, credit belongs to Julian Deguzman (@raw.jules on Instagram). All other photos belong to me.
