The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
May 2014 issue
by David Yarrow
My passion to take images that transcend mainstream offerings has driven the content of my new book, Encounter.
Over the last three years, I have undertaken many finely researched trips to parts of the world that have largely
escaped public overexposure. The human and animal encounters that these trips offered required patience and
resolve, but it would be worrying if this were not the case. This is an era of content overload, and for images to engage,
there needs to be not just contextual strength and powerful documentation, but perhaps also a degree of unfamiliarity.
At the heart of my approach is what I call the Omo trade. The Omo is the river that meanders down through Ethiopia
before flowing into Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya. The banks of the Omo and its tributaries in Southern Ethiopia
host some of the most renowned tribes in Africa – the overwhelming majority of which live on the east side of the river,
which is much more accessible for visitors. This in itself dictates that the side of the river to travel with the camera is
the west side, despite the discomfort, the poor facilities and interminable hours in a four wheel drive. The Omo trade is
simply the sacrifice of comfort for content.
The Jungle Book Stories – Ranthambore National Park, India, 2013
There are only 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. The placement of the adult tiger’s left
ear covering his son’s right eye enhances a picture which evokes jungle book stories.
High – Amboseli, Kenya, 2013
I think giraffes are best photographed in the company of other giraffes; they are extraordinarily tall animals and the
more of them in an image, the more surreal the end product.
The Killer – Ranthambore National Park, India, 2013
This is probably my favourite image in the book – a man eating tiger of immense power and splendour, backlit in his
natural habitat.
Big – Amboseli, Kenya, 2012
A bull elephant approaches my unprotected remote control camera in the dusty bowl
of the Amboseli. The elephant stopped inches away from the camera as he was
uncomfortable with the noise of the shutter. The camera and this elemental image
were saved.
Charge – Lewa, Kenya, 2013
We never thought we would capture this image of a charging rhino and there were
some high fives afterwards. The shot was taken with a fisheye lens on a remote with
the casting caked in the rhino’s own excrement.
Elemental – Amboseli, Kenya, 2013
A bull elephant – caked in mud – close to my camera in Amboseli. I had for some time been hoping to find the right
light and unhurried proximity to convey the detailed skin texture of a bull elephant and this was the moment.
Grumpy Monkey – Jigokudani National Park, Japan, 2013
This picture, on a bleak and cold winter’s day, probably works because everything about it is miserable to the point of
being comical. The misty and dank weather matches the Snow Monkey’s mood.
Jaws – False Bay, South Africa, 2011
When my curtain is drawn, this will still probably be my most widely published reportage photograph. It came after 28
unsuccessful hours lying face down on a boat deck in False Bay near Cape Town.
Omo Warrior – The Omo, Ethiopia, 2013
A Suri warrior patrolling the river to the south east of Kibbish. Skirmishes between tribes are common and many men
carry guns as a matter of course. I spent some time gaining the trust of this dignified man and I hope that the image
brings the sensation of my personal investment.
Suri women and children.
The Long March – Snow Hill, Antarctica, 2010
I was fortunate that the light was flat that day, which allowed for the penguins to stand out against the white out.
Emperor penguins regularly go back and forth to the Weddell Sea from Snow Hill and almost always do so in single file
groups.
The Prize – Amboseli, Kenya, 2013
After several mornings working with the same pride in Amboseli, a lioness walks
straight towards my scented remote control camera unit. The power of the image is
improved by the clean, flat background and the isolated tree.
The Puzzle – Lewa, Kenya, 2013
Zebras are not photographers’ friends. They couple a rather clumsy running style with
skittish nerves and herd instincts. This abstract shot employing light and line has been
a personal goal for some time.
White Rush – The Camargue, Southern France, 2013
Horses are not easy subjects – and when they are galloping together through water, the split second composition of
heads, bodies and the spray lies with ‘the gods’.
Wild – Skógafoss, Southern Iceland, 2012
Skógafoss is arguably the most aesthetically perfect waterfall in Europe. This image transcends all the others from the
trip and offers a dreamlike portrayal of Iceland’s raw and wild beauty.
Encounter, a collection of 87 monochrome images of wildlife and indigenous peoples,
is published by Clearview, priced £60. Available from Amazon.
