David Yarrow, one of the world’s best-selling fine art photographers, on the cinematic scale of his work, why a 35mm lens is better than a telephoto, and his immersive quest to turn wildlife documentation into high art.
BY ANETTA NOWOSIELSKA
Film or digital? Digital, mainly because of the immediacy of feedback – not needing to change film in the extreme cold helps as well.
The wild or the studio? I like to be outside – no studios.
What’s one place you’ll never photograph again? I doubt I’ll go back to North Korea in a hurry. I’m also not sure whether I need to spend too much more time in East Africa, there are too many photographers there now, and it is already so well documented.
What’s the biggest misconception about your work? Firstly, that it is a single-man job – it’s really all about the team around me. Secondly, photography is not about the camera – the camera is simply a conduit – a window to your soul.
The scariest animal encounter you’ve had? Hippos – terrifying.
What’s a photo you wish you’d taken? Maybe Macron celebrating in Moscow at the 2018 World Cup
What’s your favorite photo you’ve ever taken? Recency bias – but maybe the photo of Europe’s Ryder Cup team in Brooklyn before the September tournament. I think it will be one of the most remembered team pictures of all time – it’s a great team in a great city, but most importantly, it’s a metaphor for the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
Best piece of advice you’ve received? To be scared of the mundane.
The one lens you can’t live without? The 35mm – it allows for greater storytelling with layers. It wouldn’t be a telephoto – because when you compress distance, you compress emotion.
Who is your biggest creative inspiration? Steven Spielberg. Making Jaws when he was 26 years old for $6 million, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, Bridge of Spies, The Post…
What animal do you most identify with? Orangutan – we actually share 98% of our DNA with them.
Is wildlife photography art or documentation? That’s a very good question. For many art advisors and collectors, it is too literal to be considered art – and we totally recognize that. As the chairman of the Tate Modern said to me once, “I don’t need to see a picture of a giraffe and be told it’s art – I know what a giraffe looks like”.
What’s the most common mistake aspiring photographers make? Showing too many pictures – addressing the plurality of content with their own plurality is a mistake. I try to take 10 strong photographs a year.
The most difficult animal to photograph? The polar bear – the eyes lack emotion.
One word to describe your photographic style? Immersive.
What’s your definition of success? Meeting people that you look up to – and spending time with family.
What’s your next big project? World Cup 2026
Do you believe in luck? Luck is everything. We recognize that luck has a huge role in what we do – but you earn your luck.
