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Family Tree

Borneo 2018

Orangutans are so expressive – or rather their expressions are so human that we relate to them far more than we relate to, say, a zebra. This makes them great fun to photograph, especially if you are alone with them. The danger often in Borneo is that they see you at the same time that they see a load of other people and then their eyes will be all over the shop.
On this occasion, far from our original location, it was just me and that made all the difference – especially with the baby.

Available Sizes:

LARGE

Image: 56" x 63" (143 cm x 160 cm)
Framed: 67" x 74" (171 cm x 188 cm)

STANDARD

Image: 37" x 42" (94 cm x 107 cm)
Framed: 48" x 53" (122 cm x 135 cm)

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The House Of Orange

Borneo, 2018

Another memorable moment from a charred forest in Southern Borneo. There is no doubt that these images have made quite an impression and are raising awareness of the plight of the orangutan. She looks more human than a number of Scots I know.

This mother and child were much easier to work with than the big male. She seemed largely comfortable with our presence. My instinct was to work with my “go to” 58mm lens and set the camera for as much detail as possible. The trick was to be in the water and to make myself look small and unthreatening (harder now than it once was!).

But I needed some protection because on the way up river we had noticed several crocodiles and I am terrified of crocs. They could have been anywhere, skulking in the water reeds, but after some manoeuvring, the two motor boats formed a V shape and blocked off the water behind and to the left and right of me. It was only later that our lead guide told me, with a mischievous grin, that there had been a recent crocodile attack nearby but didn’t think he could tell me before otherwise I wouldn’t have got the shot. Good card players the Indonesians! After all, no shot, no bonus.

Photographs like this hopefully serve as a call to arms for conservationists.

Available Sizes (Framed Size)

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The Siberians

Available size

Large: 67 x 112 inches
Standard: 52 x 82 inches

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Rajasthan

Ranthambore National Park, India 2019

I have a few time honoured rules when photographing in the wild – stay low, get close and work against the light. Following this shoot in India, I added another – “always stay calm”.

We had seen two tigers at breakfast time when the park is accessible to all. It was a decent moment, but nothing sensational. At 9.30am the visitors must leave and then we and a handful of jeeps had until 3.30 pm on our own in the 1600 km² of Ranthambhore. These are precious hours as tiger behaviour becomes more predictable as the temperature rises. Given the acreage of the vast park there is every chance of working alone.

Much of the hottest part of the day (around 44°c) was spent looking for an adult male tiger who my guide for six years – Vipul Jain – knew to have been in the area in the last few hours. Back and forth we went in rotation to the tiger’s favourite three watering holes, but there was nothing. Our cold-water supplies were low and our energy even lower.

Just as I was ready to throw in the towel at 2.40 pm and submit to the comfort of air conditioning and a cold shower, Vipul saw something with his discerning eyes and our driver sped towards a small cave in the escarpment. There, at the front of the cave, but out of the heat, sat the tiger in the best lit spot I can ever remember with any animal.

When we arrived, I remember saying to everyone “stay calm”. It was time to take a deep breath and think. The tiger was going nowhere as long as we kept our cool and went to work. If the tiger moved either a metre backwards or forwards the light was gone.

I think we just about stayed calm and therefore so did the tiger. You work for moments like these.

Available size options with and without framing are below;

SOLD OUT

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Mystic River

This is such a powerful image – an unmistakable sense of intent pervades across every aspect of the photograph. The tiger’s eyes are focused, the body structure eager and the water movement suggests movement, speed and aggression.

Available size

Large: 67 x 84 inches
Standard: 48 x 59 inches

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Harbin

Available size

Large: 70 x 67 inches
Standard: 50 x 48 inches, Sold Out

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jungle-book-series-david-yarrow-hilton-asmus-contemporary-large

The Jungle Book Stories

Ranthambore National Park, India 2013

There are only about 1,700 Royal Bengal Tigers left in India – a frightening decline from the estimated 100,000 during the Raj. Therefore, to find a father and son bathing in the same pool in the jungle was statistically unlikely. Photographers cannot direct wild tigers and thus the positioning of the animals relative to the surroundings or each other is matter of luck. Overtime, luck will average out, but the placement of the adult tiger’s left ear covering his son’s right eye enhances a picture which evokes jungle book stories. I like the lone eye to the right – even though it’s outside my focal plane, it ironically grabs our focused eyes.