FIRST GEAR: AASIF ADAM

We are excited for 2025, as we introduce our segment on the WANNABENZO website titled: FIRST GEAR. A platform that explores and celebrates individuals, groups, and communities within automotive culture through conversations and telling their stories! Our first interview features Aasif Adam, an automotive enthusiast, and documenter who focuses on video and still content from integrating automotive and lifestyle frames of reference.

INTERVIEW:  

What inspired you to pick up a camera and how long have you been shooting for? 

I first picked up a camera in grade 11. My dad always had one of those Sony cameras around and used to take videos of the family and any milestones in our lives. He always wanted to get into photography and we ended up buying our first DSLR. From there I taught myself how to shoot manually, learning about aperture/ iso shutter speed and how it affects the image. It wasn’t long after that I decided to make videos rather than stick to taking photos. 

I’ve been shooting content and making money from it since grade 12. On weekends I used to shoot for weddings and content for small businesses and it just grew from there. I ended up studying film and television at wits, and that really opened up my world and love for creating meaningful content.

How would you describe your photography/videography style? 

 I’d say my videography style is free, in the sense that I don’t limit myself to a certain style and focus on keeping a certain image/style to my work. I experiment all the time. I’ve noticed that my work is very dynamic. Every project I work on I always improve or try to learn something new. Example with the drift video, I focused a lot on sound design. I wanted it to feel like you’re there right in front of the cars when watching the video. 

I think when I started out I had an obsession with transitions and just being creative with how I edit work, and then from studying film and tv I learnt that transitions have meanings, and now I use transitions in videos to creatively enhance the videos rather than just stick a fade between two clips. 

Again back to the question I’d say I’m still finding my style, but over the years I’ve always tried to include some sort of “wow” factor in every project, whether it’s through sound or visuals.

Who is your favourite photographer/videographer in South Africa and the world?

Thufayl Ali, a good friend of mine inspires me a lot. We met through Instagram around Covid time and since then we’ve just been in contact. It wasn’t until this year that we actually met and worked on a big project together. Really great filmmaker and just a humble human that I look up to. 

In the world I can’t really choose, I don’t follow anyone specific because I feel like I’d end up trying to imitate them. A lot of my inspiration is from tons of different filmmakers, youtubers and content creators. If I see something I like, visually, I save it and try to recreate it with my own take.

What inspired you to get into capturing automotives and the sub-cultures around it? 

I’ve always been a petrol head. From a young age I’ve loved cars, I think a lot of guys can relate when they say PlayStation (Need For Speed) and Hot Wheels etc is where it all started. 

I started shooting more car content when I got my first car, an MK1 Golf. I wanted to create car content like the international car guys do. Rolling shots on the roads, etc. I couldn’t go to anyone and ask them because I didn’t feel confident in my work in my early days, and I had my car to work with, so I made my videos, and from there, people saw it, and I guess that’s how the car side of content took off as well.

What was your first impression or memory of seeing a car drift or spin?

I think spinning has always been around, I’ve always been a huge fan, but the first memory I have was a video of a BMW 325is in Lenasia down the road from my grandmother’s house. I still see that video circulating on the internet from time to time and remember it being the first video I saw of someone spinning, and also that’s the reason I own an E30 today, every since then I knew I had to own an E30, maybe one day it’ll be an IS but for now it’s just my BMW 316. 

If you were to choose one car that you would drive for the rest of your life— which car would it be? 

One car for the rest of my life? I want to say the BMW E30 because I really enjoy it, even after owning it for 5 years now, when I drive it— it still feels like I just got it a week ago. 

The one car I want to own one day and I think I can settle for the rest of my life would be the Porsche 964. It’s honestly a dream car, everything about it from looks to performance it is a beauty! 

Which automotive-based movie best describes you? 

Automotive based movie, I’ll have to say Baby Driver. Mainly because the sound design in the movie is incredible, it’s not a movie like fast and furious or anything crazy but he’s a get away driver that has precision and skill, and I think I relate to mastering a craft and just bettering my skills.

Do you have an F1 team that you support and why do you support them? 

I think I might be the only petrolhead that doesn’t watch F1. I watched the first season of the f1 series on Netflix and enjoyed it but I don’t find myself having the time to keep up with the sport, and that’s why I don’t watch or support any team but if I had to choose based off clips and snippets I see on social media I think I’d go for Mercedes because of Hamilton, I just think he’s really cool and I like his style. 

What’s your advice to someone who’s trying to get into photography and videography within the automotive space?

My advice to someone getting into automotive content would be to see what others are doing and do the opposite. Try to be different because that’s the only thing that’ll keep you going, these days everyone has a phone and shoots photos and videos at car meets/shows. The only thing that will make you stand out from everyone would be to do what no one is doing, maybe take notes from your favourite creators and start by imitating them until you find your style and way of creating.