David Yarrow
Africa 2
2018

About the Item

Amboseli, Kenya 2018 Archival Pigment Print on 315gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta Paper Each is signed, dated and numbered on the front. Edition Size: 12 Available sizes: 48 x 63 inches 67 x 62 inches All prints are on 315gsm Hahnemühle photo rag Baryta paper and varnished after processing to give both endurance and sheen. Each is signed, dated and numbered on the front. Price includes David Yarrow's custom black ash frame, white archival matting and protective UV acrylic. For unframed, $1,500 will be deducted from the price. David Yarrow has built an unrivaled reputation for capturing the beauty of the planet’s remote landscapes, cultures and endangered animals. Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1966, he is an internationally acclaimed fine art photographer and Europe’s best selling wildlife photographer. "There can be little doubt that this already well known image is a career highlight. It is unquestionably the most warmly received photograph that I have taken - so much so that the limited edition prints are nearly sold out within six weeks of capture. Manifestly, we have been able to do very little to stagger demand, including raising the price. It is what it is and the art market is exactly that - a market. I still get goosebumps just looking at a big print. Tim is the world’s most famous big tusker - and our big Los Angeles prints have never been more necessary - why diminish Tim in print when we can surely glorify his magnificence? To find him in the open in the foothills of Kilimanjaro offered a lucky opportunity and we took it to the full. I will always treasure this image and I doubt I will ever take a more powerful portrait of either an elephant or East Africa. That’s the thing about this work - it’s a collision of two enormous features - one volcanic, one iconic and they complement each other and raise the bar higher still. It’s a timeless piece and closer to perfection than anything I can remember in my career. The contextual narrative behind Tim is East Africa at its symbolic best. We felt we could get away with calling the image “Africa”. It’s a dangerous title for sure, if the product is not extraordinarily special. The irony is that three hours prior to taking this image, I was sitting back at our base somewhat grumpy that for once the location was not delivering. Indeed, I was considering leaving early, as time is money and this did not appear to be our trip. But at 2.20pm, just before our flights were rescheduled, we received the news that our scouts had located Tim in the open, 90 minutes away and there was a chance to do what I had always wanted to do. We grabbed our gear and made haste. When we arrived the sun was still too high and we had to bide our time and keep our distance from Tim. I wanted a fresh charge not a tired one and that meant waiting and playing smart. We had to keep him at distance, but equally keep him in our sights. It was a tactical hour ahead and there were many people to thank for keeping their discipline and encouraging me to keep mine. The greatest credit for this piece of art should go not to me, but to Juma Wanyama, my local guide for the last eight years in Amboseli. He found and incentivised the scouts that tracked Tim, but more importantly, he knows both this elephant and me equally well and he allowed me to put myself potentially in harm’s way. Had our relationship been nascent, there is no way this picture could have been captured, because at its heart there is a triangular trust between three mammals. I have had to earn that with Juma and Juma has certainly had to earn it with Tim. It is this simple dynamic that is the secret to the image - trust. It was this trust that offered me the chance of a ground up perspective and that was key to the composition, as was the 58mm lens - an optical dream of a lens - and the very same lens with which I shot Mankind with in 2014. It will always be my favourite lens now - how can it not?" -David Yarrow

Creator:
David Yarrow (1966, Scottish)
Creation Year:
2018
Dimensions:
Height: 48 in (121.92 cm)Width: 63 in (160.02 cm)
Medium:
Archival Pigment
Movement & Style:
Contemporary
Period:
21st Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Chicago, IL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU38833638131
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David Yarrow

David Yarrow, born 1966 in Scotland, took up photography at an early age, as a 20-year-old he found himself working as a photographer for The London Times on the pitch at the World Cup Final in Mexico City. On that day, he took the sensationalized picture of Diego Maradona holding the World Cup and, as a result, was subsequently asked to cover the Olympics and numerous other high profile sporting events.

Many years later, Yarrow established himself as a fine art photographer by documenting the natural world from new perspectives and recent years have been career-defining for his mark on the world of contemporary fine art photography.

Yarrow’s evocative and immersive photography of life on earth is most distinctive and has earned him an ever-growing following among art collectors and celebrities. His distinct large monochrome images made in Los Angeles are on display in leading galleries and museums across Europe and North America. Yarrow is now recognized as one of the best-selling fine art photographers in the world and his limited edition works regularly sell at high prices at Sotheby’s and other auction houses.

In September 2019, Rizzoli published their second book by Yarrow, with a personal foreword written by global NFL star Tom Brady and thoughtful afterword written by American cultural icon and supermodel Cindy Crawford. All royalties from the book have been donated to conservation charities Tusk in the UK and WildAid in the US.

Yarrow's position in the industry has been rewarded with a wide range of advisory and ambassadorial roles. He is an ambassador for WildArk and The Kevin Richardson Foundation and is the European ambassador for Nikon. Yarrow has been integral to Nikon's most anticipated camera release of the last decade. In December 2017, he shot LVMH’s latest “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” campaign with Cara Delevingne. In January 2019, he was appointed as a global ambassador for UBS. In the spring of 2020, Yarrow was appointed a global ambassador for Best Buddies – one of America’s most established children’s charities.

Yarrow became an ambassador for the African Community and Conservation Foundation and presented his work in the Endangered Rangers virtual fundraiser. At the start of 2020, Yarrow was in Australia documenting the devastating bush fires that have destroyed communities, wildlife and wildlands. Using the striking images that he captured of the effects of the fire, he launched the #KoalaComeback Campaign to support the recovery efforts in Australia. The campaign raised over $1.4 million, and as Yarrow continues to work for humanitarian causes, his steadfast determination continues to make positive change for the benefit of global awareness. Currently, Yarrow continues to create stunning imagery with lasting global impact and archival quality that speaks to his reverence for the art of photography in capturing the wonders of the world.

Find a collection of original David Yarrow photography on 1stDibs.