Van Wyk Amutenya
Young Namibian photographer Rambo Shitaleni, a teacher at Moses Garoëb Primary School, has managed to merge his passion for cars with his talent for photography, creating stunning images that capture the beauty of these machines.
Shitaleni was fascinated with cars from an early age and would spend hours poring over magazines, dreaming of the day he would own his own.
As he grew older, his passion for cars only grew stronger, and he began experimenting with photography to capture their unique features and beauty.
He quickly realised that snapping cars is not as easy as it looks and requires a different approach than other subjects.
“The first time I did a pan shot was quite challenging. It was quite tricky, as one has to follow moving vehicles from a distance until it passes you. I had to try it many times until I got the results I needed which were quite exciting for a beginner on that type of method,” he told Youth Corner.
Shitaleni, who runs Rambo Limited Photography, shared some tips and tricks for capturing the perfect shot of a car, emphasising the importance of understanding the type of vehicle one is capturing and choosing the appropriate lens to use.
“When it comes to choosing which lens to use, it all comes down to the type of shot you are looking for. When I need shots that have more of the scene in it, choosing a wide-angle lens would be the way to go, as well as while taking interior images,” he noted.
Shitaleni also stressed the importance of knowing one’s camera settings, as it determines the quality of the image produced.
“Each scene needs a different set of settings. For example, if you are shooting under extremely direct sunlight, you can’t have your aperture or mainly shutter speed too low; your image will come out too bright which makes post-processing a bit tricky.”
Shitaleni suggests selecting the appropriate lighting, by simply choosing to capture under conditions that would be able to go through post-processing without any hassles.
“Visual elements are the background. When you have a good background in your image, then it can tell or create a story in the mind of the person that is viewing that image. Even when there is no background, the way the image is taken should be in a form that someone can say, “yoh”.”
Asked about his favourite images, he pointed to the Audi RS3, which incorporates three monuments and captures the cockpit through the sunroof. He also mentioned a Volkswagen Golf 7 image that stands out due to its stunning foreground and background.
When it comes to the creative process, he noted that it’s a little bit tricky, personally.
He believes that post-processing is a critical aspect of photography and can make or break an image’s quality. Shitaleni thus advises photographers to leave room to learn from others and to always strive to improve their craft.
Although he has yet to work with any manufacturer or reseller, he has been successful in capturing the beauty of cars for their owners.
“I haven’t done work with any manufacturer or reseller yet but working with Pupkewitz, BMW and M+Z Mercedes Benz is something I wish to do, so, for now, I work with the car owners,” he said.
Shitaleni noted that seeing clients smile when he shows them the shots he has taken is one of the most memorable moments of his career.