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Desert Flight
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Desert Flight

Lewa, Kenya - 2014
Lewa, Kenya

In my mind, the zebra is the hardest animal in Africa to photograph well – particularly when they are on the run. This is for two reasons: firstly, they are extremely skittish and tend to run away from a cameraman long before he has found himself in a position to capture a special moment. Secondly, zebras can be ungainly when they run – it is all legs, arse and tail. There is little in the way of grace.

Equally portraits of stationary zebras have to have strong composition of their stripes to elicit attention. The world does not need another dull, full-frontal zebra shot taken with a long lens. That is simply pulp.

There is nothing ungainly about this zebra’s flight path and they can certainly shift. I was lying flat in the baking dirt to achieve the right perspective – no other angle would suffice. The laundry bill was worth it.
The picture will carry resonance for those with an interest in photographic history. It was, after all, an early photograph that proved unequivocally that a horse runs with all four feet off the ground. The same is certainly true of the zebra.

I was lying flat in the baking dirt to achieve the right perspective – no other angle would suffice. The laundry bill was worth it.

David Yarrow
Print sizes

Standard

25" x 62" Unframed

40" x 77" Framed

Edition of 12

Large

37" x 93" Unframed

52" x 108" Framed

Edition of 12

Sin CityDawn CommuteFully EngagedEthereal DuneHeaven Can WaitThe Walk of LifeShowtimeTwinsSnap ShotThe Black Panther ReturnsKingdomNarniaElephant UprisingI am Black PantherThe HunterKeeping up With the CrouchesDesert FlightDexterSpace for GiantsHoof ItRemains of the DayTimFamilyAcaciaFollow the LeaderThe Old Man and the SeaShape of WaterPegasusKongPumbaaThe WitnessPunkThe PatricianSuccessionExodusEmmaThe Lion's DenFields of GoldEnjoy the SilenceThe River MonsterThe Secret RhinoFirst DownParallel LinesMarvelDuneAfricaSex PantherTiny DancerThe Morning ShowScarfaceThe New TestamentSerengetiThe BillsAfrican TailsGold