North America Archives | Page 15 of 37

The Big Moose

Jackson Hole, Wyoming – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“The grandeur of the Tetons has been celebrated by artists for 150 years. It was an integral part of Thomas Moran’s life and, of course, the mountain range played a material role in the photographic journey of Ansel Adams. His legacy still holds a tight grip on a Jackson Hole community hosting hundreds of capable photographers every week.

As an artist, it is a place in which to enjoy the visual overload rather than attempt to break new ground; that would be a fine trick. I have long been an admirer of the photographer Tommy Mangelsen whose body of work is a love letter to this pocket of America. For many years we have shared the same New York Publisher – Rizzoli – and he sets a high bar with his body of authentic images in the Tetons and beyond.

I have a good friend in Jackson, who, for many years, has made a living by ploughing snow on private roads in the winter months. It is his business to know every road in the community and in the days before my arrival he scouted the land either side of these single-track roads for big bull moose. They are not that hard to find in the area near Kelly – especially in late November and December – but I needed to be in situ very early in the day.

It was never going to be easy to get a Cigar Shot as there needs to be a sense of place in any picture taken here. Not to include the Tetons in the frame would be akin to filming in Zermatt and not including the Matterhorn. They are on a par as backdrops.

To have the Tetons as a canvas requires a high cloud or no cloud and I have always tended to prefer flat light rather than shooting with a harsh sun behind me. But there is a small window after sunrise when the sun finally hits the flats, but not in a garish way. I guess there is about 15 minutes of softness when the camera has every opportunity to capture textural detail and employ meaningful depth of field.

In those 15 minutes, we just got lucky with this one fraction of a second and I thank my friend Westy for all his homework, his eyesight and his understanding of moose behaviour.” – David Yarrow

AVAILABLE SIZES:

LARGE: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 66” in (142.2 cm x 167.6 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 81” in (180.3 cm x 205.7 cm)

STANDARD: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 44” in (93.98 cm x 111.8 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 59” (132.1 cm x 149.9 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.

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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)

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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)

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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)

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The Outlaws

Telluride, Colorado – 2023

Archival Pigment Print

“This photograph has a palpable sense of place, and the heavy overnight snowfall lends a mood to the story. We know this train track and the dramatic cutting well, and film scholars will also be familiar with the location from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

My idea was to have a wide enough frame to include outlaws on the slopes which grandly saddle the train track below. However, this was no easy ride for the cowboys as the heavy snow also covers big boulders and rocks that are impossible to detect until it is too late. There in lay the riddle of this photograph, in that the more virginal the snow, the stronger the likely visual, but also the harder the execution. It always tends to be that way, and we would prefer tough execution and good conditions than the other way around.

The Iron horse played an integral role in the mythological lore of the Wild West, and in this instance, I wanted my camera to dive into the pages of a Western storybook. This was an untamed and loosely governed wilderness occupied by tough men with merciless traits. That was my story – the beauty of frontier landscapes was often coupled with trouble and danger.

I would like to thank all those who helped that cold morning in Colorado, especially Al Harper and his team in Durango. Without the full partnership of the train company, this idea would have been fanciful at best. As it was, everyone did their job, and we left town with a special image.” – David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 88” in (142.2 cm x 223.5 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 103” in (180.3 cm x 261.6 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 58” in (93.98 cm x 147.3 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 73” in (132.1 cm x 185.4 cm)

by admin

Telluride

Telluride, Colorado – 2023

Archival Pigment Print

“Norman Parkinson’s photographs of his soon to be wife at an airfield in Nairobi, Kenya in 1951 have stood the test of time and certainly form part of the history of fashion photography. He was one of the original storytellers in his craft.

We brought this 1943 plane into Telluride, Colorado with a view to telling new stories and, like Parkinson some 70 years ago, I wanted to play on the alchemy of metallic beauty and female beauty.

The plane – which participated in D Day in 1944 before it was converted to a DC3 – looked striking at 9,000 feet and the cold winter light allowed its beauty to be fully celebrated. The pilot positioned the plane at an angle to allow me to have a definitive sense of place. There are few airfields in the world as breath-taking as Telluride, which was, of course, the reason we were there. There is a grandeur in the San Juan mountains that I have long been drawn to.

Glamour came late to Telluride: it was only developed as a ski resort in the 1970s and even then, it was proud of being Colorado’s best kept secret. But a hipster counterculture took root and Telluride morphed sharply from a tough mining town to a resort whose mere name evokes imagery of sex, drugs and rock and roll. It was quite some transition and Telluride became in vogue for Angelenos. The bond is now cemented and the town’s annual film festival highlights Hollywood’s 50- year love affair with the community.

Josie Canseco, my model for that cold morning, was made for the role of the bohemian Telluride party girl. I am not sure what’s in her suitcase, but I am sure she was ready for some fun in the mountains.” – David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 50” x 102” in (127 cm x 259.1 cm)
Framed Image: 65” x 117” in (165.1 cm x 297.2 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 34” x 69” in (86.36 cm x 175.3 cm)
Framed Image: 49” x 84” in (124.5 cm x 213.4 cm)

by admin

Driving Home For Christmas (Colour)

Lake Tahoe, California – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“I had this photograph in my mind for a good year or two before I took it. Mountain roads with snow tunnels this high are not easy to find and even then, filming on them can be a logistical challenge as there are always going to be other cars on the road.

Our research led us to a mountain area near Lake Tahoe that always has high accumulation of snow throughout the winter. But my ambition of bringing in a 1953 Ferrari and a wolf to the set took the production effort to a challenging level. The car was worth around $12m and we certainly didn’t need any accidents, but we simply had to use it; it is so beautiful.

My default position is to make my work as attention grabbing as possible – and since I tend to make photographs rather than take them – the key is always in the preparation. As I saw the frame develop in my head, I imagined this is a colour photograph, as the burgundy of the Ferrari would pop against the white of the snow; if there was a bend in the road, we could use that to make the backdrop as uniform as possible.

I guess this photograph has a fairytale vibe and that was my intent. She is simply driving home for Christmas.

Brooks Nader is so good to work with; she is family to us and smashes every role we give her”. – David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 92” in (142.2 cm x 233.7 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 107” in (180.3 cm x 271.8 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 61” in (93.98 cm x 154.9 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 76” in (132.1 cm x 193 cm)

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Driving Home For Christmas (B&W)

Lake Tahoe, California – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

I guess this photograph has a fairytale vibe and that was my intent. She is simply driving home for Christmas.

Brooks Nader is so good to work with; she is family to us and smashes every role we give her”. – David Yarrow

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 92” in (142.2 cm x 233.7 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 107” in (180.3 cm x 271.8 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 61” in (93.98 cm x 154.9 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 76” in (132.1 cm x 193 cm)

by admin

All My Ex's Live In Texas

West Texas, Texas – 2024

Archival Pigment Print

“Our West Texas team found this location on private ranch land about two hours from El Paso. I knew it offered potential because the dusty amphitheatre was framed by sizeable mountains to the south and west. Also, there was one solitary tree standing out from the scrubland, which could be used as a prop. It immediately looked like a place where people would camp in the fabled days of the American West. With that in mind, we arranged for an antique wagon to come from the other side of the State. The last mile was not easy for the wagon or those responsible for its delivery but we know that it is that extra mile that always matters.

It is a little intense shooting in the last minutes of daylight as there is a need for many composition decisions to be taken in full knowledge that there is no second chance. This is no time to iterate, only time to be instinctive, especially with a herd of cattle roaming freely around the wagon. Most of the time in these situations, I find something that is not quite right and the moment is lost. However, it is much better to roll the dice and play with the benefits offered by twilight; appropriate lighting is integral to our creative processing.

On this occasion the tableau worked as well as I could possibly have hoped and there is nothing I would change. I am a greedy storyteller and my preference is for every inch of frame to contribute in some way, but this approach risks unintentional visual tension points. It is the part of the job that I take the most satisfaction from when I deliver, as it is not easy.

Brooks Nader’s styling was influenced by Sienna Miller’s character in Kevin Costner’s Horizon. I wanted to couple a simple white lace dress with dirt; this, after all, was the Wild West not a Victorian drama in England. Brooks is not precious and was more than happy to get dirty to play the role. There is no easier model to work with or instruct.

West Texas is such a giving place to ply my craft, not just because of its lonesome beauty, but because of the cowboys and ranchers living there. It is unlike anywhere in the world.” – DAVID YARROW

Available sizes

Large: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 56” x 96” in (142.2 cm x 243.8 cm)
Framed Image: 71” x 111” in (180.3 cm x 281.9 cm)

Standard: Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 37” x 63” in (93.98 cm x 160 cm)
Framed Image: 52” x 78” in (132.1 cm x 198.1 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