Legit Photography – Meet the Man Behind the Brand

Born 23 years ago, Andrew Ingo, who is better known by his nickname Andlew, is a bright young photographer who is making sure that his name one day becomes synonymous with quality photography in Namibia and beyond.

Hailing from the northern town of Ongwediva, Ingo was never inclined to photography while growing up, instead, he was introduced to it as a young adult.

“I used to work at a company where our manager was a photography freak. He spoke about photography all the time and at one point when we had some cameras purchased for the company, I decided to take the opportunity and try my hand at photography,” says Ingo.

After he failed Grade 10 and dropped out of school, Ingo was soon given a new lease on life with this new-found passion. While his parents were disappointed when he left school and questioned his decision to take up photography, Ingo says that they eventually warmed up to his career as a photographer and are the ones who purchased his first camera for him.

“When I started out, I had no clue about photography since I didn’t have any training.” This was at around the same time that he met Namibia Fashion Council board member Kalistu Mukoroli whom the young photographer credits for giving him opportunities to learn and grow within the local entertainment industry. “When I started, it was all about the money and fame and then it became a passion – something I would do without getting paid as long as there are opportunities to make valuable connections that will benefit me in the future,” he says.

Ingo says that contrary to what some may believe, there’s a lot of money to be made from professional photography in Namibia. “I believe that if you really want to make money from photography, you need to be very good at it and you need to put yourself out there.”

Ingo says that he is inspired by the work of fellow fashion photographer and The Weekender cover star Martin Amushendje. “I am motivated by him and he inspires me a lot,” he says.

The Perks

On what he loves about life as a fashion photographer, Ingo says that meeting new people is definitely one of the things he enjoys. “I also love creating something new and unique, and sometimes from nothing,” he says passionately. “The looks on people’s faces when they see the final product and how I made them look – that is priceless,” he adds.

So far, as part of the Voigush Media team, Ingo has worked with some of the biggest brands and names in the country. He has also had the opportunity to attend the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) as well as the recent Durban July where he accompanied his Voigush colleagues as their official photographer.

Drawbacks

Not every day is a good day behind the lens at some of the most beautiful Namibian fashion shoots. “There’s always a certain day when things just don’t go right, no matter what you do. Sometimes working with a professional photographer as a client is very hard because unlike regular clients, they know exactly what a professional photo should look like and can be very hard to please,” Ingo admits.

While he is riding the wave of his growing success, Ingo still has plans to study to advance his career and improve his skills. For the moment, he continues to make Legit Photography one of the leading go-to brands for fashion photography. “I called my brand Legit because I wanted something to remind me of what kind of person I want to be in life. I want to be legit and I want everything that I create to be legit and for people to know me for that,” he says.

As the official photographer for Windhoek Fashion Week, Ingo is ready to make continental connections. Look out for Ingo’s work from the week-long event by following him on his social media pages: Legit Photography on Facebook and Legit Rocks Photography on Instagram.

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