Texas Archives | Page 2 of 6 | Hilton Contemporary

Take My Breath Away

Alpine, Texas – 2025

“Few movies have had such an impact on popular culture as Tony Scott’s Top Gun. Released in 1986, the film became a cultural phenomenon and gave a material boost to both US Navy and Air Force recruitment. It remains Tom Cruise’s biggest box office success, with inflation adjusted sales of nearly $500m against a modest budget of just $15m.

The film is also remembered for the character Charlie played by Kelly McGillis. In a male dominated environment, she ruled the roost. Berlin’s song, Take My Breath Away, which won an Academy award for Best Original Song,
became synonymous with the movie.

Her impact in the movie was central to my thought processing at Alpine Airport in West Texas when I took this photograph. I needed my model – Holly Graves, (who is in fact Texan) – to own the frame, and I think she does exactly that.

It’s not breaking new ground to couple femininity with the contours of a vintage aircraft. Norman Parkinson introduced this creative formula 70 years ago. I think the challenge is to get the composition and the scaling right. There needs to be a balance between the two key subjects.

We would like to thank General Ron Fogleman – a decorated Vietnam veteran – for making this project possible by bringing his A-26 Invader to West Texas. This was no half-hearted Hollywood prop; the plane participated in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944.”

-David Yarrow

Available Sizes

Large - Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 45” x 103" in (114 cm x 262 cm)
Framed Image: 60” x 118” in (152 cm x 300 cm)

Standard - Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 34” x 69” in (86.5 cm x 196 cm)
Framed Image: 49” x 84” in (125 cm x 234 cm)

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

by deniz

Sinclair Oil (Colour)

Alpine, Texas – 2025

“In early 2025, I stumbled across a 1942 Sinclair Oil advert featuring a photograph of a cowboy on a horse racing against a low flying American Airlines Douglas DC7. Sinclair supplied American Airlines with engine lubricant and the advert was a simple play on horsepower. Like many of the commercial adverts of that period, the message lent on the contribution to the war effort.

The connectivity between horse and flying machine in the image was visually arresting and told a wonderful story. The creatives behind this piece of advertising art will no longer be with us but deserve great recognition.

We started to spitball a few ideas to make our own version of this photograph. Camera capability may have come a long way in the last 80 years, but the nerve to fly 50 feet off the ground in a decent size plane is still not for everyone and we needed to find a pilot who embraced our ambition and would be game enough to join us in this homage to a piece of World War II history.

We chose Alpine Airport in West Texas as our location for three reasons. Firstly, the airport sits in a stunning amphitheater with mountains to the west and south of the main runway. Secondly, the owners of the airport seemed to be our kind of people, who want to make things happen rather than find reasons why they should not. Thirdly, there would be no shortage of skilled cowboys in the area who could navigate their way through the horse part of the story.

Our pilot – Roger Woolsey – is a gem of a guy and used to low flying. His fabulous 1944 A-26 Invader that we used that day was active in The Battle of the Bulge in World War II, so the story came full circle.

This project would not have been possible without the help of the decorated Vietnam veteran – General Ron Fogleman – who introduced us to Roger and his team.“

-David Yarrow

Available Sizes

Large - Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 50” x 103" in (127 cm x 262 cm)
Framed Image: 65” x 118” in (165 cm x 300 cm)

Standard - Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 34” x 69” in (86.5 cm x 175 cm)
Framed Image: 49” x 84” in (125 cm x 213.5 cm)

by deniz

Sinclair Oil

Alpine, Texas – 2025

This project would not have been possible without the help of the decorated Vietnam veteran – General Ron Fogleman – who introduced us to Roger and his team.“

-David Yarrow

Available Sizes

Large - Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 50” x 103" in (127 cm x 262 cm)
Framed Image: 65” x 118” in (165 cm x 300 cm)

Standard - Edition of 12 + 3 AP

Image Size: 34” x 69” in (86.5 cm x 175 cm)
Framed Image: 49” x 84” in (125 cm x 213.5 cm)

by deniz

All Nighter in Cowtown

Fort Worth, Texas – 2024

“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

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

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