David Yarrow – The Masterclass

Join an photography class with one of the world’s best selling fine art photographers.

Suitable for all levels · Learn at your own pace · Lifetime access · Watch on any device · Money back guarantee

1 Introduction

Meet your master. David Yarrow is one of the best selling fine art photographers in the world as well as a conservationist and an author. His limited print edition black and white photographs documenting wildlife and staged work regularly sell out. Run time: 04min 32sec
2 Early Beginnings

Find out about David’s famous Maradona photograph at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. He talks about his early beginnings as a sports photographer, and the need to be tenacious and passionate. Run time: 14min 59sec
3 Pin Sharp

Focus is incredibly important in photography, it can either deliberately include or it can deliberately exclude elements in a photograph. Run time: 02min 41sec
4 Follow Your Instincts

Discover David’s unique journey from banker to $1bn hedge fund owner to passionate fine-art and wildlife photographer. Run time: 06min 06sec
5 Photographing Skijoring

Follow David on a horse skijoring shoot in snowy Montana. David walks us through his thinking: from what story to tell and how to tell it, to the lens selection and how to work with the light. Run time: 08min 17sec
6 Research and Preparation

What goes into a photo? Find out how much time David spends on research and preparation compared to shooting. Run time: 03min 24sec
7 King Penguins on South Georgia

David explains his approach to photographing thousands of King Penguins on South Georgia and what he is trying to achieve in the shot. Run time: 10min 39sec
8 Getting the Yellowstone Canvas Right

David discusses his research for photographing bison in the middle of the winter in Yellowstone National Park. Run time: 05sec 39sec
9 Using Cameras and Remotes

David covers the use of remote controls and his preference for working in manual mode. Run time: 08min 10sec
10 Photographing Bison in Yellowstone

David explains how he took his great bison photos: American Idol, Ice Age and Forest Grump. Run time: 14min 39sec
11 The Wolf of Main Street

The day is never over until it’s over! David recounts the background and shoot of his iconic photograph the Wolf of Main Street in a classic Wild West saloon in Montana. Run time: 06min 57sec
12 Working with Wolves

David likes working with wolves for the strong and conflicting emotions they elicit. We watch him on a shoot for his crazy idea to photograph a wolf in downtown Chicago. Run time: 10min 40sec
13 Shooting at the Pioneer Bar

David talks about working with natural light and the genesis of his photographs “The Usual Suspects” and “The Unusual Suspects”. Run time: 04min 35sec
14 Montana Horses

On location in Montana! David is photographing cowboys and wild horses. We follow him as he directs the shoot and adapts his ideas in the tough conditions. Run time: 13min 59sec
15 Creating Staged Photographs

David likes the challenge of moving between different forms of work. He describes the approach to creating mesmerising staged photographs. Run time: 06min 09sec

16 On Location in Monument Valley

David is on location in Monument Valley as he works to create a completely original picture of a place that has been photographed a million times before. Run time: 08min 28sec
17 Being Playful

David finds inspiration and ideas in everyday life which has led him to creating some fun, playful staged work. He discusses the ideas behind “The Barber of Fairfax”, “The Good, the Bad and the Ass” and “The Last Supper”. Run time: 13min 25sec
18 Leader of the Pack

On location in Nevada with badass bikers! Watch David composing a staged photograph. Run time: 05min 58sec
19 Points of Difference

How does one achieve authenticity and originality in a world where everyone is a photographer? Run time: 14min 56sec
20 Snow Monkeys in Japan

Watch David on location in Nagano, Japan to photograph the snow monkeys. Run time: 02min 16sec
21 Giving Back

David explains how and why he uses his photography to support conservation efforts around the globe. Run time: 03min 41sec
22 On Location in Greenland

David is in Greenland to photograph the local inuit community. He shows the importance of immersing yourself with the local people as he tries to find information about the local terrain, the sea ice and traditional hunting. Run time: 12min 30sec
23 Last of the Big Hunters

Follow David on location in Greenland as he tries to make a photograph of traditional hunters and their sled pulled by a pack of dogs. Run time: 14min 39sec
24 The Hunter’s Hut

Watch David as he makes portraits of young inuit hunters on the remote east coast of Greenland. Run time: 10min 57sec
25 The Abandoned Village

David creates a powerful image in an abandoned village with hunters and a polar bear skin. Run time: 04min 23sec
26 Inuit Dog Team

David uses long and short lenses for landscapes and portraits of the local hunters. Run time: 04min 02sec
27 Alone on the Ice

Understand the risks a photographer must take to create unique photographs: on the way to photograph icebergs David is left stranded and unarmed on the sea ice. Run time: 08min 46sec
28 Tips for Working in Cold Weather

Working in the cold is no easy task. Find out David’s tips for photographing in extreme weather. Run time: 03min 55sec
29 Places to Photograph Bears

Find out the best techniques to photograph bears and three notable locations for taking pictures of polar bears. Run time: 10min 26sec
30 Frozen Moments with Polar Bears

David explains how he took his famous bear images: “Hello”, Diamond in the Sky”, “The Statesman” and “78 Degrees North”. Run time: 08min 04sec
31 Photographing Grizzly Bears

If a location is successful, why change it? David describes how he took his famous grizzly bear photographs. Run time: 08min 01sec
32 Capturing Horses in Iceland

How do you create original and eye-catching landscapes? David tells the story of “Wonderwall” and the art of working a foreground scene into stunning landscape shot. Run time: 13min 03sec
33 Mission Statement

David talks about work ethic and the values that are important to him and his team. Run time: 02min 45sec
34 A Ship Called Dignity

Watch David shoot at a floating village in Nigeria as he creates order out of chaos to produce a strong image. Run time: 03min 25sec
35 The Best Advice

David’s most important advice on succeeding as a professional photographer. Run time: 09min 15sec
36 Heading Up River in Borneo

Follow David in Borneo and learn about the challenges of photographing in the jungle. Run time: 05min 19sec
37 Hanging Around with Big Orangutans

Shooting in the jungle of Borneo. Watch David climbing through the mangroves to get an exceptionally close shot of an orangutan. Run time: 08min 38sec
38 Photographing a River Monster

How do you create an eye-catching shot of a hippo? Watch David photographing Dexter! Run time: 03min 41sec
39 Ideas and Concepts

One of the most important jobs of a fine-art photographer is to find ideas. David explains how he does it. Run time: 07min 03sec
40 Face to Face with Big Tuskers

Choose your location for the wildlife you want to photograph and not the other way around. David is in Amboseli, Kenya to photograph big elephants and giraffes. Run time: 09min 22sec
41 What’s in the Bag

David tells us which lenses and equipment he uses and his reasons for doing so. Run time: 05min 37sec
42 Photographing Big Cats

David works from the cage and directs his team to compose action shots of lions and a black leopard. Run time: 07min 47sec
43 Tribes

The “Mankind” photograph changed David’s career. Listen to the story behind the image and David’s advice for working with indigenous tribes. Run time: 12min 58sec
44 Pride Rock

How do you create a pastiche by combining two photos, from two different locations on two different days? Run time: 06min 47sec
45 A Lion on Pride Rock

The lion whisperer tries to cajole a lion on to Pride Rock whilst David is lifted in the air on a crane for the second part of the “Pride Rock” image. Run time: 06min 59sec
46 Composition

David tells us his 4 key rules for composition: foreground subject, rule of thirds, negative space and tension points. Run time: 09min 28sec
47 The Art of Black and White

David discusses his preference for working in black and white including business, artistic, and romantic reasons. Run time: 06min 45sec
48 Image Post Production (Part 1)

David works with post production specialists, BowHaus in L.A. David and BowHaus co-founder, Joe, sit together to discuss and work on a photograph with Cindy Crawford. Run time: 10min 52sec
49 Image Post Production (Part 2)

Joe explains how BowHaus process the file in Photoshop and prepare to print in a very large format. Run time: 10min 52sec
50 Preparing a File for Print

After the Photoshop process the file is run through BowHaus’ proprietary software which interfaces with the printers to precisely control the ink used. Run time: 05min 14sec
51 Advice on Digital Printing

Joe, an expert in printing and the developer of BowHaus’ printing software, provides useful tips for preparing and printing your images. Run time: 07min 17sec
52 How David’s prints are framed

Watch the BowHaus team prepare the enormous printed photograph to be set in the high quality frame. Run time: 03min 24sec
53 ‘Oh Montana’: The Final Print

David examines the enormous printed photograph and checks that he’s happy with the result. He wants the main elements of the image to be precisely in focus. Run time: 04min 13sec
54 The Cindy Print

David works with Cindy Crawford on a shoot with a large wolf. The proceeds of the sale of the image will go to her charity. David checks the photograph before signing and dating it, as a limited edition. Run time: 08min 54sec
55 Monetising Photography

David gives his advice on how to make money from art photography and on how to work with galleries. Run time: 07min 31sec
56 Making a Book of Your Work

The commercial aspects of making a book means that it’s very tough to make money. David considers his books as a way to build a brand, and as a way to make his art available to the wider public. The proceeds of his latest book go to charity. Run time: 05min 41sec
57 Farewell

David says thank you and goodbye to all who have followed the course and imparts some final words of wisdom. Run time: 01min 15sec
58 At the End of a Shoot

David wraps up a shoot in Kenya. He discusses the need to set the bar very high and that from all the photographs he has taken during the week, only one or two will make the cut. Run time: 04min 10sec

Embark on a voyage across 5 continents and learn how fine art and wildlife photographer David Yarrow makes his incredible images that sell for tens of thousands of dollars. David teaches exactly how he creates his attention grabbing images, gives advice on what books you should study, his views on how to combine the vital elements of composition, authenticity and emotion in your photography and much more. Most importantly you’ll learn David’s underlying photographic philosophy: the relentless desire to improve and the will to stretch boundaries in the pursuit of excellence.
This is not a course about the technical aspects of camera settings, it’s a journey with one of the greatest photographers in the world into the pursuit of excellence and the art of photography.