David Yarrow

The Black Panther Club

Photography |

94 x 198 cm (image size)
132 x 236 cm (framed size)

124 x 262 cm (image size)
163 x 300 cm (framed size)

The Black Panther Club
Dionkeng, South Africa – 2025
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The Black Panther Club
Dionkeng, South Africa – 2025

We set about building a structure in a black panther’s 4-acre sanctuary in Dinokeng, South Africa and brought in a heavy-duty cage for me to work from and then it was simply an exercise in patience as well as the unique talents of Kevin Richardson - The Lion Whisperer. Our 12-year friendship has forged exceptional trust and we both know how to get the best out of each other. There is no way we could have taken this image a few years back - we have learned and iterated. Panthers are dangerous and safety and creativity had to find a balance. At all times I was working from the cage.

The key to me in this one oﬀ portrait is the position of the pupils in the panther’s eyes. They equate to less than 1/400th of the total photograph but they elicit a proper sense of menace. A bit lower down in the eye and his menace is lost. It is about the smallest of details and today’s cameras, in low light, are high performing enablers.

I think the cinematic format is perfect for this photograph. After all, the term Black Panther elicits heavy Hollywood vibes. It is an animal that has created many metaphors.
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