David yarrow
World-renowned fine art photographer David Yarrow takes Graham on a journey across two continents, from Madagascar and South Africa where he demonstrates firsthand his very detailed process to capture the perfect shot, to a New York City gallery where his work is on display. Yarrow reflects on his extraordinary path to success, navigating loss in his family and the controversy surrounding some of his wildlife photographs.
david yarrow
CLIPS
David Yarrow: How Bernie Madoff’s collapse devastated my business
Scottish photographer and conservationist David Yarrow reflects on his unconventional journey from photography to Wall Street finance and ultimately back to pursuing his artistic ambitions. He recalls how a decision to sell all of his firm’s foreign stocks just before the second plane struck the World Trade Center on 9/11 earned him a reputation as a financial genius and propelled him into a leadership role overseeing 40 stockbrokers. Yarrow also reveals how, after his business collapsed in the wake of Bernie Madoff’s infamous Ponzi scheme, he invested $20,000 in capturing the perfect photograph of a great white shark. The resulting image earned him his first major payday from a private collector and helped launch the next chapter of his career.
David Yarrow on the tumultuous childhood that fueled his ambition
David Yarrow reflects on his tumultuous childhood, growing up with an emotionally distant father and a mother who abruptly left the marriage when Yarrow was just eight years old. He reveals how his father’s inability to express affection has influenced his own tendency to say “I’m sorry” and “I love you” too often. Yarrow also recalls spending time living in a trailer with his mother after his parents separated, an experience he says had a profound and lasting impact on his life.
David Yarrow opens up about losing two brothers to suicide
Famed Scottish photographer David Yarrow opens up about becoming the patriarch of his family following the deaths of both parents and the loss of his two brothers to suicide. He becomes emotional while reflecting on one brother’s battle with Parkinson’s disease and eventual suicide, admitting that he still wishes he could pick up the phone and call him. When asked whether he is happy, Yarrow reflects on how he has grown more comfortable with himself as he’s gotten older, revealing that he feels closer to becoming the person he was meant to be and is happier now than at any other point in his life.
David Yarrow: How money and lawyers complicated my marriage
Scottish photographer and philanthropist David Yarrow opens up about his complicated relationship with his ex-wife, Jane Martin, with whom he shares two children and remains best friends. He admits that their continued closeness may have contributed to the failure of their subsequent relationships, but laughs off the idea of ever getting back together. Yarrow also reflects on a brief romance with actress Liz Hurley, explaining why he believes a long-term relationship with someone famous would be difficult, given his unwillingness to compromise his artistic ambitions or his commitment to his children.
David Yarrow on why his son must work twice as hard to prove himself
David Yarrow reflects on the rewards of working closely with his son, who accompanies him on many of his photography expeditions around the world. While acknowledging the obvious nepotism involved in their professional relationship, Yarrow emphasizes that his son has earned his position and shares how much he values their time together. He also discusses the challenges of balancing his roles as a father, friend and boss while the two work and travel side by side.
Jeff Bezos’ gesture leaves photographer David Yarrow fighting back tears
David Yarrow discusses his relationships with high-profile collectors of his photography, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Brady, Chris Hemsworth and four of the last five U.S. presidents. He becomes emotional while recalling the opportunity he arranged for his son to have an extended conversation with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Yarrow also recounts the frustrations of a commissioned photoshoot with Lionel Messi, explaining why he disliked not having complete creative control over his work.
David Yarrow on Cindy Crawford’s big gamble and multimillion-dollar payout
David Yarrow reveals the unique business model that has helped his thriving photography business grow to $35M last year. He stresses the importance of profit sharing and philanthropic work with his ultrafamous subjects like Cindy Crawford and reveals that, every year, he visits around 65 galleries around the world in order to promote sales of his work.
David Yarrow faces conservationist critics and reveals what he regrets
Famed Scottish photographer David Yarrow responds to criticism of his work, including accusations of “animal slavery” stemming from his use of captive animals and those housed on game farms. Yarrow pushes back against the allegations, explaining that he has largely moved away from wildlife photography and works closely with conservation organizations when photographing wild animals. He also defends his friend, conservationist Kevin Richardson, against accusations involving lions being sent to game farms, emphasizing Richardson’s efforts to raise awareness about the challenges facing the species.
David Yarrow: Why I passed on a chance to photograph Kim Jong Un
David Yarrow reflects on some of the high-profile subjects he has been unable to photograph over the years, including Kim Jong Un, whom he hoped to capture during a tense 10-day trip to North Korea. He also recalls how the COVID-19 pandemic derailed his plans to photograph Vladimir Putin and considers the possibility of photographing President Trump, acknowledging that he would need to approach such an opportunity carefully.
David Yarrow: The biggest mistake I see photographers make
David Yarrow offers a behind-the-scenes look at his creative process, sharing his approach to capturing a great photograph. He emphasizes the importance of perspective and storytelling, arguing that one of the biggest mistakes photographers make is failing to consider what they place in front of their cameras. Yarrow also discusses his obsession with weather and recalls racing into New York City during a historic snowstorm in pursuit of the perfect shot.
Held at gunpoint, Arctic disaster and a plane crash: David Yarrow’s wildest stories
David Yarrow shares some of the most harrowing experiences from his travels around the world. He recalls being held at gunpoint while pursuing a career-changing photograph in South Sudan. Yarrow also recounts two brushes with death: plunging into the frigid Arctic waters while attempting to photograph killer whales and surviving a plane crash that left him stranded in the middle of the Sahara Desert.
David Yarrow reveals why he’s watching Taylor Sheridan very closely
David Yarrow opens up about his struggles with creative block and names Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan as one of his heroes . He emphasizes the importance of having creative role models, revealing that he has turned away prospective interns who couldn’t name artists or creators they admire and look up to.
“Black and white or color?” Rapid fire with Photographer David Yarrow
World-renowned photographer David Yarrow answers our this-or-that questions presented by Twix.
David Yarrow and the Lion Whisperer, Kevin Richardson, reveal how their shoots work
Graham sits down with Scottish photographer David Yarrow and renowned “Lion Whisperer” Kevin Richardson to discuss how they collaborate to capture intimate photographs of one of the animal kingdom’s most dangerous predators without compromising the animals’ safety. The two also reflect on a lion photograph they were initially thrilled with but that ultimately ended up costing them a fortune.
10 minutes of perfect light: A high-stakes David Yarrow photoshoot in Madagascar
David Yarrow invites us to Madagascar as he works to capture a striking photograph of model Josie Canseco driving through an avenue of towering baobab trees. His perfectionism is on full display as he meticulously directs the shoot, working to coordinate his models and a particularly uncooperative herd of goats.
Jordan Belfort reveals what went into David Yarrow’s Wolf of Wall Street photo
Graham and David Yarrow tour Sorrel Sky Gallery in the heart of New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, where much of his photography is on display. Yarrow also shares the story behind a photograph he took at one of President Trump’s golf courses, which the president recently posted on social media without giving him credit.