Highland Cows – Hilton Contemporary

“In Fort Worth, the road under the Stockyard sign rises as it moves west away from the heart of Cowtown. This allows for much deeper visuals of the historic area and, from a filmmaker’s perspective, offers the potential of a wider narrative. If the road was flat, the location would still be strong, but it is the hill that transforms the potential.

Fort Worth is a fully paid-up member of the Americana Club and the city’s rise in fortunes over the last 10 years is testimony to the role the Stockyards played in the old west. The cowboy is the most enduring symbol of America and Fort Worth is the cowboy’s spiritual home. Little wonder, therefore, that this stretch of road will host nine million visitors this year.There are few hotter areas in American real estate right now than this pocket of Texas and I sense that Taylor Sheridan has played something of a role in the growing awareness of cattle culture. The lore of the cattle markets and ranches no longer only speaks to Texans.

I wanted to shoot this tableaux at first light to amplify the neon lighting in the background and create more of a visual mood. That ambition made for greater challenges with the camera, but I just hadn’t seen a picture like this before and that always energises me. The location will always be there and that forces the cameraman to push a few boundaries in the quest to be authentic. It is just not good enough to shoot the Stockyards during normal working hours. More of the same is never an option.

I think the vignette plays to the vibe of Cowtown. This is a storied place where, over the last 160 years, there must have been many late nights of hard drinking and those on the street at dawn, will be going to bed, not getting up.

– David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Print Size: 56″ x 83″ in (142.25 x 210.82 cm)
Framed Size: 71″ x 98″ in (180.35 x 248.92 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Print Size: 37″ x 55″ in (94 x 139.7 cm)
Framed Size: 52″ x 70″ in (132.1 x 177.8 cm)

We ship worldwide and use a multitude of providers to safely deliver your masterpiece. Domestic delivery and installation may also be available via Hilton Asmus Contemporary’s private art shuttle. Please inquire.

by deniz

The Last Supper in Fort Worth

Fort Worth, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“For a stretch of road to own a place in the visual jigsaw of Americana, it must have history as well as aesthetic power. The road to the stockyards in Fort Worth scores high in both categories, which is why 8 million visitors make the trip to cowtown every year. Judging by the explosion of high-end hotel developments within a mile or two of the old cattle market, there is no destination in America that is currently hotter than Forth Worth.

Photographing this road presented a creative dilemma not only because we wanted to tell a fresh story, but also because we needed to clear it of people and traffic and that clearly required the full support of the local police and indeed the wider community.

Once this second issue was navigated (and we thank all those involved), the next issue was what to do with the blank canvas that we secured. The idea of doing a Last Supper shot came to me late, but we executed well and the introduction of Tomahawk steaks was a cute additive.

Sometimes in these photographs there can be a weak link but everyone in that picture followed my directives and did a grand job. None have been schooled in acting, so I congratulate them all for helping me break some fresh ground. I would imagine that if this crew were about to break bread, I would have all the ingredients of an interesting dinner party” – DAVID YARROW

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 89” in (142.2 cm x 226.1 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 104” in (180.3 cm x 264.2 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 59” in (93.98 cm x 149.9 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 74” in (132.1 cm x 188 cm)

by admin

The Cow Whisperer

Fort Worth, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“Fort Worth is the most famous cowtown in the world and the historic Stockyards are an integral part of the rich legacy of the old west. The town is once again booming because the Stockyards, and the sense of Old Americana that they offer, has become a hot tourist attraction. This year the redeveloped Stockyards area will welcome an astonishing eight million visitors – 80x the population of Fort Worth when the cattle trains were in their prime. It’s the most circular of reinventions and it now looks like Fort Worth’s very best days lie ahead.

At first light the Stockyards still offer some potential to tell timeless stories. The rising sun from the east casts some shafts of light along the cobbled streets and the corridors of wooden cattle pen. There is only a small window of opportunity before the sun becomes a little too powerful.

I never want to be too earnest in our storytelling, I prefer to have some creative courage and entertain. In our Wild West series, we recognise that we are in the confines of an old genre and we want to break new ground. It’s good to be playful from time to time.

In this exchange, the cowboy’s line of sight is to be expected, but the lead steer seems to be much more focused than normally observed. She has his full attention.” – DAVID YARROW

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 58” x 56” in (142.2 cm x 210.8 cm)
Framed Image: 73” x 71” in (180.3 cm x 248.9 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 39” x 37” in (99.06 cm x 93.98 cm)
Framed Image: 54” x 52” in (137.2 cm x 132.1 cm)

by admin

The White Elephant Saloon

Fort Worth, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“It’s a tough one, as there are so many contenders in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Texas. From a filming perspective, we are drawn to bars with depth and then it helps if the walls and ceilings are elaborately embroidered with authentic props that emphatically play to a western vibe. They need to have history and a lore.

But these are not really demanding qualification rules, and we need some stronger filters. For a start, we think that the saloon must have hard liquor available at breakfast and the bar staff should greet early customers with a smile that suggests a sense of partnership throughout the day.

The door policy should be accommodating to men with no cultural refinement and women with no moral compass and allow cowboy capitalists to mingle freely with outlaws, cattle wranglers and enthusiastic pole dancers. The only real restriction, is that entry is conditional on wearing a decent and well worn cowboy hat.

I think, however, the best cowboy bars must be in towns that are fabled cattle towns. If there is not a hint of manure in the air, at the very least, there should be some steers within a rope’s throw of the entrance. It would also help these days if Taylor Sheridan is a regular.

These new criteria materially narrow down the candidates and all roads now lead to Fort Worth, Texas. Our favourite cowboy bar is, of course, The White Elephant in the heart of the famous old stock yards.

We want to thank Tim Love and his excellent team for partnering with us on this project, and we look forward to visiting next time as customers. My team will all pass the door policy.” – David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 83” in (142.2 cm x 210.8 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 98” in (180.3 cm x 248.9 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 55” in (93.98 cm x 139.7 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 70” in (132.1 cm x 200.7 cm)

by admin

Lonesome Dove

West Texas, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“The quiet comfort of being alone on the move, with the sense of security offered by a saddle, were seemingly attractive to cattle drivers heading north from Texas in the second half of the 19th century. Ostensibly, it was a lonely and poorly paid job, conducted in tough conditions, and while the cowtowns at the end of the road offered every vice, the original cowboy’s life delivered little consistent joy. The life imbalances are easier to consume in a modern Taylor Sheridan production than they were when lived out for real.

Louis L’Amour- the doyen of contemporary Western novels – believed that the self-image of the first cowboys was influenced by the “code of the cavalier” that emerged in 19th century writers such as Sir Walter Scott. The commitment to duty, and the sense of pride that became integral to the lore of the frontier cowboys, came from somewhere and L’Amour suggests that it came from stories and folklore passed down the ages.

If he was right, novels such as Ivanhoe have played a material role in the evolution of Americana. The early cowboys were rough, wanderlust characters often possessing no moral compass, but they had a code of honour that history now looks fondly on and this has propelled the cowboy image from a shiftless, unkempt character to the noble good guy and most enduring symbol of the United States.

That extraordinary shift in perception is here to stay and that works for me. To spend time with proper cowboys – as we often do in West Texas – is to immerse oneself in a culture with duty, manners and commitment at its heart. Over and above that, to watch a cattle drive live, in its birthplace, is one of the great spectacles I know.” – DAVID YARROW

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 100” in (93.98 cm x 254 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 115” in (132.1 cm x 292.1 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 28” x 75” in (71.12 cm x 190.5 cm)
Framed Image: 43” x 90” in (109.2 cm x 228.6 cm)

by admin

Cowgirl

West Texas, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“The credit for this cinematic picture must go to the West Texas cowboys who kept the herd tight to the model but were also in full control of her safety. The fact that Brooks Nader and I knew the cowboys well, and had total trust in their herding skills, allowed us to focus on our jobs and that ultimately made all the difference. The one constant was the backdrop, which offered an emphatic sense of place.

We filmed this project 25 miles from the Mexican border and 25 miles from the drive by town of Van Horn, which is marooned in the middle of nowhere. I believe we were in virginal territory for this kind of production and I am so appreciative of the local ranchers who allowed us to put everything together, they have enough on their hands in this region right now. I would imagine we were the first legal visitors on this land for quite a while.

Location scouting is an integral part of the job but in ecosystems as vast as this in this part of Texas, we must subcontract the initial work to locals otherwise we would have to give up our day jobs. I thank Craig Carter and his team for understanding our creative needs.

When I watched Kevin Costner’s Horizon, I thought Sienna Miller stole many scenes, not just with her beauty and screen presence, but with her styling; its refined simplicity offered a stark contrast to the untamed and merciless Wild West. That was my prompt for Brooks in this sequence and I think the white lace dress worked well against the backdrop of dust.” – DAVID YARROW

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 54” x 103” in (137.2 cm x 261.6 cm)
Framed Image: 69” x 118” in (175.3 cm x 299.7 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 71” in (93.98 cm x 180.3 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 86” in (132.1 cm x 218.4 cm)

by admin

Cattle Drive

West Texas, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“This photograph smells of West Texas and that was the intent. I think there normally needs to be a sense of place and a mood for the story within a still to stack up. It’s so dusty in this ranch just 25 miles from the Mexican border and the dust adds a character for free, provided the photographer is prepared to shoot towards the sun in the last hour of sunlight.

But there are logistical issues: firstly, the herd are coming right at my ladder and secondly, the wind direction needs to be right. If the wind is moving in roughly the same direction as the cattle and there is speed to that wind, then not only am I not going to get a picture, I would also be in danger as the cattle would not see me until it was too late.

So there is some amount of maths involved and I think that this is as close as I can responsibly get, even if the wind is blowing left to right. This is not something to try without the help of good horsemen and the cowboys in Texas are the best equipped in the world to be a photographer’s accomplice.

It is a special place down here and we recognise it. I often refer to some of John Steinbeck’s quotes and I will unapologetically do so once again, as he nails it every time:

“For all its enormous range of space, climate, and physical appearance, and for all the internal squabbles, contentions, and strivings, Texas has a tight cohesiveness perhaps stronger than any other section of America. Rich, poor, Panhandle, Gulf, city, country, Texas is the obsession, the proper study, and the passionate possession of all Texans.” – DAVID YARROW

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 52” x 103” in (132.1 cm x 261.6 cm)
Framed Image: 67” x 118” in (170.2 cm x 299.7 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 39” x 77” in (99.06 cm x 195.6 cm)
Framed Image: 54” x 92” in (137.2 cm x 233.7 cm)

by admin

Hook 'em Horns (Colour)

Austin, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“The University of Texas (UT) is integral to the lore and image of Texas and is beloved by its alumni. If Texas was a country, it would now rank 8th in world GDP and if UT was just an athletics institution, it would also rank high in the global performance charts. This is not a normal educational establishment.

The flagship of the athletics department is, of course, the Texas Longhorns, whose fan base stretches way beyond the alumni. To be in Austin for a Saturday game day is a bucket list sporting occasion, attracting crowds of over 80,000 people, even if the result is a foregone conclusion long before the tailgating parties start.

My plan was to take a tableau photograph celebrating this venerable institution, but there was much to plan to ensure my effort as an outsider would not end up being generic or hackneyed. I needed to push a few boundaries in my creative processing.

Since 1916 a longhorn steer named Bevo has represented The University of Texas as its famed mascot. There have, of course, been a few Bevos over the years, with their orange and white colouring emblematic of the institution. There is no more revered live mascot in global sport and I recognised that without Bevo, any picture celebrating the Longhorns would be very lame.

I want to thank Ben Barnes – the former Lieutenant Governor of Texas – for helping facilitate this shoot. My idea was to photograph Bevo in front of the UT tower which is the storied epicentre of the campus and Ben, who bizarrely knew my late father in the UK, made the necessary calls.

The grass lawn between 21st Street and the Tower suited the steer, but my leaning was always to add both dynamism and symbolism by using the same smoke effects that accompany Bevo when he triumphantly enters the Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium on game day. Smoke adds drama and focuses the eye. No wonder it is so often used in the creative entertainment industry.

I want to thank Ricky Brown Ricky Breenes, and Craig Westemeier of The University of Texas Athletics, William Reid and, of course, Governor Barnes. It was a privilege and an honour to be allowed this level of access.

This was an agreed partnership with UT, who will benefit from any sales of the commemorative photograph.” – David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 77” in (142.2 cm x 195.98 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 92” in (180.3 cm x 233.68 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 51” in (93.98 cm x 129.54 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 66” in (132.1 cm x 167.64 cm)

by admin

Hook 'em Horns (B&W)

Austin, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

This was an agreed partnership with UT, who will benefit from any sales of the commemorative photograph.” – David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 77” in (142.2 cm x 195.98 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 92” in (180.3 cm x 233.68 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 51” in (93.98 cm x 129.54 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 66” in (132.1 cm x 167.64 cm)

by admin