Whether in the dust on the plains of Kenya, on a river in a tiny boat in Borneo, or in the snow in Colorado, David Yarrow goes the distance to capture wildlife and wild life. Yarrow has been known to say that for him, there are four key words in photography, and they all begin with the letter R. 

Research. Relentless. Relevance. Reductive.

Yarrow explains those four words as they relate to one image in particular ...

LUGARD

"Great photography, more often than not, starts with great access. Access has to be found and earned. The platform for this is research. You cannot turn up to Nairobi airport and say: 'Take me to the biggest elephant in the world.'

Poachers want him too. After a great deal of research, I found the only person who knew his rough location (he is not tagged). We found him by flying a tiny plane at 200 feet above the massive Tsavo ecosystem. I worked with the local conservation trust and a percentage of sales from this image will go back to protecting Lugard. I do a great deal of this now – encouraging a cash trail partnership between the local fixer and me – especially if it has a conservation angle."

"Once we knew where Lugard was, we flew near to him every day and landed on the closest bush plane strip. Tsavo is 12,000 km2 so this is a vast ecosystem and working here was a continuous logistical challenge. When we reached him, he was often not in the clear (he would be eating shrubs in a dense area and if you surprise him, it’s game over – for you). This made remote control work impossible and any kind of transcending imagery very unlikely. Then one day, we got him on a mission to a watering hole and in the clear. All our thoughts revolved around his need for a drink, which I can relate to!

So finding Lugard was one job, getting this image was the next. Both are a bridge too far for those that are not relentless. This was a dangerous picture to take – as Lugard manifestly is moving with purpose and intent. It’s not perfect, as I had two seconds to put the camera down and run like hell."

"This is the toughest R to attain and as you get older the bar gets higher. There are only 18 or so big tuskers left in the world – elephants with tusks touching the ground – and the gene pool is at its best in Tsavo. This is unequivocally the best place to photograph these primeval beasts. I photographed two of them that week and Lugard is the big one. That makes this image very relevant – as Lugard is the 'King of Kings.'"

"Less is more. This is a portrait – it claims no loftier goal. My style of using wide-angle lenses and being immersive makes sure that the viewer is asked of no bigger task than to admire nature close up. No big context, no back-drops, no colour. I am asking that the viewers' attention be focused on one subject – Lugard!!!"

Come meet David Yarrow, see his new images, hear his artist talk, add to or start your collection, and get your books signed at Sorrel Sky New York on October 13, from 2-5 pm. 

At Sorrel Sky Gallery, we're proud of our deep and meaningful partnership with David Yarrow, a world-renowned and acclaimed photographer. With gallery locations in New York, Santa Fe, and Durango, Sorrel Sky sells more of Yarrow's photographs than any other gallery, worldwide, representing him. That in itself says so much about our collaboration.

The relationship began when Sorrel Sky owner Shanan Campbell met Yarrow while he was on a photoshoot in Durango. "David Yarrow is not just the best photographer I've ever met, he is easily one of the best artists I have ever worked with," Campbell said.

It could be said that Yarrow's journey to becoming one of the top-selling photographers in the world began while still a young boy. Yarrow picked up a camera at just 8 years old and was printing his own photos in a darkroom by age 15. He captured the iconic moment of Diego Maradona hoisting the World Cup trophy at age 20. After a successful career in banking and finance, Yarrow decided to fully embrace photography as his life's work when he sold his hedge fund in 2014. 

Yarrow's artistic approach is one of a "romanticist" blended with a "pragmatist." He is challenged by the bad ideas that become his best ideas and how he can make them happen, turning them into his best work. "Digital photography does make the workflow quicker. It makes my kind of photography easier. There's more immediacy to it," he said. Immediacy, proximity, depth, and an unwavering work ethic have all contributed to Yarrow's rise to the forefront of photography. 

That drive for more has led Yarrow to capture breathtaking images across the globe - from the Namibian desert to the coast of Italy. And Campbell notes that the body of work hanging in Sorrel Sky Galleries represents just a tiny fraction of the images Yarrow creates. Ansel Adams once said that photography is "an outer manifestation of your inner soul." If that's true, then Yarrow's soul is filled with a deep appreciation for beauty and adventure. His meticulously planned and executed photographs often tell a compelling story, whether they feature wildlife in their natural habitats or complex scenes with celebrities and models.

"It's a beautiful world. I want to tell beautiful stories," Yarrow recently told an audience who gathered to hear him speak. And that desire to share the beauty of the world aligns perfectly with Sorrel Sky Gallery's core values of "beauty, excellence, innovation, inspiration, integrity, and passion."

"I'm not just selling consumer goods. I'm selling someone's heart and talent," Campbell said. And working with an artist like David Yarrow, who shares that passion, is a true joy. The partnership between Sorrel Sky Gallery and David Yarrow is one built on mutual respect, admiration, and a shared vision for creating and sharing beautiful artwork. It's a relationship that continues to thrive, bringing stunning photographic works to art lovers around the world.

Be sure to reach out to our team of art advisors with any questions about the works by David Yarrow seen in this blog or on our website. We'd love to see you at the gallery where you can enjoy them in person.