"I've been chasing this leopard hour and a half": the history of the creation of the legendary the best shots of wildlife photographer David yarrow

Photographer David yarrow (David Yarrow) spent half his life chasing elephants on the dusty fields of Kenya and looking for a black Panther in the plains of South Africa. He was the best, and not just.

For his latest exhibition "the untouchables" the photographer told the stories behind the most extreme shots in his collection.

"Don"

Amboseli, Kenya — 2017

And I waited for this picture for a long time — as much as 6 years! Sometimes large specimens held meter to the left or to the right of the camera, and sometimes straight to her relatives were getting smaller. But so is the Golden combination. He catches our eye and doesn't let go. I think 6 years was worth it.

I've been fooling over how to title this picture. In the end, decided that the name should convey the authority and independence that transmits the elephant. But a picture is not just a force — there's something a little more subtle, the kind of aura — like he makes me respect. He is the don."

David Yarrow

"Bagheera"

South Africa — 2016

The best color for the background when working with black is white. Well, anyway, the background should reflect a lot of light. I've been chasing this leopard hour and a half until I got the right background. What he's so beautiful got up at the same time, as a real treat. Although, they say that luck is what remains after the effort. Anyway, what matters is that it turned out that it is necessary".

"78 degrees North"

Svalbard, Norway — 2017

In my opinion, photography is an optional form of coverage, it can be art. For example, on this picture, the merging colours and kind of the anonymity of the bear doesn't make the image less — rather the opposite. 30 days I'm photographed in Svalbard without stopping and blew out a total of three images. This picture I'm very proud of. As my friend, really great pictures are not repeated. Not my choice, it came out great shot, but I will let others try to repeat it.

The real irony is that this frame is the last of 60. A moment later, after I made the last shot, this is the lone predators disappeared over the horizon, and I realized that our roads never cross again. It was the most exciting 15 minutes of my life, heart pounding, and I just snapped without stopping. Only on the way to the ship, looking through the pictures, I realized that it turned out stunning photography".

"Hello"

Kaktovik, Alaska — 2015

After two hours of waiting, the moment has come — and I would like to think that I did my best to best to use it. To rely on the importance of the size of the print is a terrible platitude, but in this case it is justified for two reasons.

First, the polar bear is a huge beast. As far as possible, it is necessary to pass. Second, the bears have very much detail is in the eyes — and they are very small, very rarely take the opportunity to catch in a photo. I was so close to the bear in that time as possible outside of the zoo. When the first photo was rolled out with the press in Los Angeles, one of my buddies turned to me and said, "David, look at the eyes — you are there!" He was right — I accidentally took a selfie in the eyes of a polar bear".

"Pipeline"

LEWA, Kenya — 2017

But an even greater obstacle was that when Zebra crowd on one plot of land — as they usually do, the case is the first in a series overshadows all others. I came up with a brilliant solution — you need to find a hilly place where they all stood together, but under the slope of these hills in this area do not exist.

Then I moved a little further away — in Levu, and they wait in the wings. It was a win-win — it turned out that Loewe usual special kind of these animals — they have the strips are much thinner and delicate than other types of zebras, and rather look like the white stripes on black wool, and not Vice versa, as is commonly believed".

"Siberians"

Harbin, China — 2016

I went to the reserve in winter, when there was -35. Hiring a translator, I have come with gifts to the Manager to the office and showed him my pictures of lions and elephants. He agreed to help me, but strictly designated safety rules — I in any case it was impossible to leave the car. He agreed to the jeep with removable Windows and wide enough to rods wide enough for my camera, but not enough for tiger head.

I had to make the 10am — after that, light is not the same for group portraits, so I had to go in the coldest time of the day. We bought 25 of whole chickens, in order to attract the attention of tigers. And nervous disputes between the driver, a translator, and nursing, it was possible to understand that for them, this trip was probably the first.

Siberians came out perfect group portrait and geometry project. They are all so comfortable together — as if they were on the cover of TV series "the Sopranos", only tigers".

"King Fisher"

Alaska — 2017

We arrived just after sunrise, and went to install the camera, carefully examining the paths that the big male preys on fish. I prefer to shoot against the light, but to do it at 7 in the morning means to jeopardize a good shot. However, others were not given but you can go down along the river so that the light was behind us, and get a bit more depth.

I prayed for the bear came to the chamber — and he did! Come, turned slightly to the side and looked in the distance — a strong look is out! That's all the case for small. As soon as he departed on 10 meters, I immediately ran and grabbed the camera in half an hour and we enjoyed Breakfast."

Emma

Dinokeng, South Africa — 2017

In such close proximity almost to calculate focus 2 cm closer or farther than the eye of a predator, it means to fail the, because you will not catch the look — and this is what touches the most.

Personally, I often miss the trick, because in a hurry. But when he goes as it should, the result can be stunning. With this the all clear, I don't even have to say anything at all written on the face of this lioness".

"Untouchable"

Amboseli, Kenya — 2017