For photographer David Yarrow, his latest book, “The Collection,” was a chance to look back over decades of work.
It was also a challenge going through years of photos and selecting just the right ones, he said, adding that a Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train not only made the cut, it’s on the front page.
“It was a tough edit,” he said. “I have 40 years of pictures, and I chose one from your local train. And Bob Redford, God bless him, wrote the forward before he passed.”
He said looking back over his work when gathering images for “The Collection” was a time to reflect on his career as well.
And what did he learn?
“Hopefully you get better,” he said. “And also you’re on a journey – you never know where the journey’s going to take you; 40 years ago, I didn’t know where I (would be) now, and I don’t know where I’ll be in two years’ time, so it’s kind of a cathartic process. And I think you photograph what interests you, by and large.”
Yarrow, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, “is considered one of the world’s best-selling photographers,” according to Sorrel Sky gallery’s website. “His remarkable career began at age 20 when he captured the iconic image of Diego Maradona holding the World Cup trophy at the 1986 FIFA World Cup Final in Mexico City. After a successful detour into finance, Yarrow returned to his true passion, photography. Known for his evocative black-and-white images that span wildlife, landscapes, and staged narrative scenes, he has established himself as a distinctive and influential voice in the art world.”
Yarrow, who has had his work in Sorrel Sky since 2021, and his crew are in town this week for a photo shoot of the train up near Purgatory – and he’s hoping for snow.
“It’s our favorite place to film,” he said Wednesday. “We’re just going to hope the weather gods help us a bit in the next 24 hours.”
He has shot in Durango numerous times over the years, and he said there is plenty that calls him back to the region.
“We’ve got a lot of friends here and we’re familiar with it – we know the train track well,” he said. “We know the gallery here, they like the stuff we do, it’s easy to get to. And it’s less high than Aspen so you can breathe a bit more down here.”
Yarrow’s work is also in Sorrel Sky’s location in New York City, which opened in spring 2024. And for a photographer whose work spans the globe and subject matter – including animals, supermodels, sports legends and more – there’s always something to learn and new places to explore, he said. The trick is to keep going.
“You always just want to get better,” he said. “This year, we’ve started early, we’ve been at Yellowstone ... so the journey never ends; you’ve got to be relentless.”
And when it comes right down to it, Yarrow said, there’s a message he wants people to take away from his work.
“At a time when there are so many concerns, I want to remind people that we live here once, and it’s a joy to live here. It’s a beautiful world,” he said. “My pictures celebrate life.”
Sorrel Sky hosted an artist reception and book signing with Yarrow on Friday at the gallery.
“I’m always very flattered that people in Durango appreciate the work that someone from the other side of the world is doing in their local community,” Yarrow said. “It’s always flattering to be so warmly received.”
katie@durangoherald.com
