Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 4

David Yarrow
Jaws, South Africa by David Yarrow - Contemporary Wildlife Photography

2011

Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

Sizes: Large - Edition of 12 Unframed 56" x 84" Framed 71" x 99" Standard - Edition of 12 Unframed 37" x 55" Framed 52" x 71" Artist Statement: "When my curtain is drawn, this will still probably be my most widely published reportage photograph. It came after twenty eight unsuccessful hours lying face down on a boat deck in False Bay near Cape Town. Sharks only tend to predate on seals in the early morning and there is no reason why this should happen anywhere near a boat. The odds are low and patience is a most necessary prerequisite for this type of pursuit. This shot was captured on my ninth winter morning at sea and its clarity is great testimony to the capability of professional Nikon camera bodies and lenses. In darker hours after an unsuccessful shoot, I sometimes have to remind myself that this is my image and always will be. This well-known photograph was printed in previous books in black and white, but the way most people first saw it was in colour in newspapers around the world and we decided to rework the file and reproduce it that way for one of my books. In many ways, it was a picture that changed my whole approach to the monetisation of photography. The reality was that my publishing fees from the sale of the image to magazines and newspapers around the world did not cover the expenses I incurred in taking the image. That seemed quite instructive to me and I became disillusioned with the idea of selling images for content. If it were not for a lawyer nicknamed “Jaws” calling up and asking for a print for his office, my journey may have taken an entirely different course. It was his appetite to buy the print at several thousand dollars that prompted deep consideration. I had my epiphany - the future for me lay in the fine art market, not in the content/ stock images market. If that shark had not performed for my camera way back in 2010, I wonder what I would be doing now." - David Yarrow Bio: 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 now an internationally acclaimed fine art photographer and Europe’s best selling wildlife photographer. "In my deliberation over the Pirates in the Caribbean project, there were two overriding personal filters. The first was to avoid being formulaic and the second was my sense that it would be commercial suicide to be too earnest. Pirates are mythological figures and whilst what they did was very serious, I was only too aware of the dangers of us taking ourselves too seriously in any revisionist portrayal. We should have fun; just as Disney did with their blockbuster franchise. The pirates we had assembled in Anguilla looked the part and our giant canvas of the pirate boat offered the best context in the background. The key building blocks were in place on this set, we just needed ‘the x factor’. I played with half a dozen ideas to complete the story in the foreground and there was one concept that seemed to stand out - the arriving pirates must have an encounter. Encounters represent a dilemma for still photographers who can’t do “over the shoulder two takes”. We have the one chance and that tends to mean that we lose one face. But I saw how we could use that to our advantage in that anonymity might work if it told a story. Daniela Braga, the Brazilian Victoria’s Secret model and a sweetheart, was on set with us. She is smart, fun loving and she fully embraced the idea I had in mind. I think the photograph works well. As someone wryly said, those pirates who lost an eye must have been cursing themselves."
  • Creator:
    David Yarrow (1966, Scottish)
  • Creation Year:
    2011
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 52 in (132.08 cm)Width: 71 in (180.34 cm)
  • More Editions & Sizes:
    71 x 114, Edition of 12Price: $30,000
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Chicago, IL
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU388314601182

More From This Seller

View All
Genesis, South Africa by David Yarrow - Contemporary Wildlife Photography
By David Yarrow
Located in Chicago, IL
Genesis Dinokeng, South Africa – 2017 Edition of 12 Unframed 62" x 56" Framed 77" x 71" Artist Statement: "This is as good as I can do. The best ideas tend to be simple and the be...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Relentless, South Africa by David Yarrow - Contemporary Wildlife Photography
By David Yarrow
Located in Chicago, IL
Relentless South Africa - 2017 Sizes: Large - Edition of 12 Unframed 56" x 79" Framed 71" x 94" Available sizes: Standard: 48 x 68 inches Large: 67 x 97 inches All prints are ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Jurassic Park, South Africa by David Yarrow - Contemporary Wildlife Photography
By David Yarrow
Located in Chicago, IL
"Jurassic Park" Durban, South Africa - 2024 Archival Pigment Print on 315gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta Paper Edition Size: 12 Available sizes: Standard Image Size: 37" x 49"...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Waterworld, South Africa by David Yarrow - Contemporary Wildlife Photography
By David Yarrow
Located in Chicago, IL
Edition of 12 Sizes: Large Unframed 56" x 84" Framed 71" x 99" Standard Unframed 37" x 56" Framed 52" x 71" Artist Statement: "I want my animal portraits to glorify through prox...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Primeval
By David Yarrow
Located in Chicago, IL
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 61 inches 67 x 71 inche...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Primeval
Price Upon Request
O Captain! My Captain!, South Africa by David Yarrow - Wildlife Photography
By David Yarrow
Located in Chicago, IL
"O Captain! My Captain!" Dinokeng, South Africa - 2024 Archival Pigment Print on 315gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta Paper Edition Size: 12 Available sizes: Standard Image Size...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

You May Also Like

Jaws, Fine Art Photography
By David Yarrow
Located in Vienna, AT
A white shark trying to hunt a seal, who hopefully escapes the jaws of the dear, photographed by David Yarrow. All prints are limited edition. Available in multiple sizes. High-end f...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Marvel - Portrait of a Black Panther, Fine Art Photography, 2022
By David Yarrow
Located in Vienna, AT
Portrait of a Black Panther Stalking towards the camera and splashing the water of a Puddle beneath him, photographed by David Yarrow in 2022. All prints are limited edition. Availab...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Sharks, Standoff, Black & White Photography, Fine Art Print
By Michael Müller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Standoff, 2014 45 x 30 in (114 x 76 cm) Archival Platine Print Edition of 10 The photographer Los Angeles–based photographer Michael Muller has circled the globe shooting cele...
Category

2010s Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Sharks, Ancient Visitor, Black & White Photography, Fine Art Print
By Michael Müller
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ancient Visitor, 2014 60 x 40 in (152 x 102 cm) Archival Platine Print Edition of 7 The photographer Los Angeles–based photographer Michael Muller has circled the globe shooti...
Category

2010s Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

David Yarrow - Roots Edition 2/12, Photography 2017, Printed After
By David Yarrow
Located in Greenwich, CT
"Roots Edition 2/12" David Yarrow Digital Pigment Print on Archival 315gsm Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta Paper Comes signed and pre-framed with a framed size of 56" x 80"
Category

2010s Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Rag Paper, Digital Pigment

Mars Attacks, Manta Ray jumping out of the water, Fine Art Photography, 2021
By David Yarrow
Located in Vienna, AT
Close-up of a Manta Ray jumping out of the water, photographed by David Yarrow in 2021. All prints are limited edition. Available in multiple sizes. High-end framing on request. All ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment