Prior to becoming a photographer, Wilson was working as a miniature portrait painter, supplementing his income by giving classes in drawing and painting. His artistic skills were brought to the fore when, in 1850, he produced an isometrical (or ‘three-dimensional’) map of the city of Aberdeen. Wilson created the map by referring to sketches he had made from the rooftops of Aberdeen’s buildings. Union Street runs horizontally through the middle of the map with the new western suburbs to the left. The map was published by John and James Hay of Aberdeen. John was the father of John Hay Jnr. with whom Wilson would go on to form a photographic business in 1853.