Fashion, Commercial, Editorial, Advertising, Portraits, Personal
Collection and Archive Dossier
Available on Request
Frank Yarbrough Bio
Editorial, Advertising, Commercial
Editorial, Advertising, Commercial
FRANK LEE YARBROUGH JR.
EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY:
12/13/1951 Born in Owensboro, KY to Josephine Miller Yarbrough and Dr. Frank Lee Yarbrough
Dr. Yarbrough, Frank’s father was a physician, known and involved in many community activities. He was a co-founder of the esteemed Owensboro Symphony Orchestra and played the violin for many years as
FRANK LEE YARBROUGH JR.
EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY:
12/13/1951 Born in Owensboro, KY to Josephine Miller Yarbrough and Dr. Frank Lee Yarbrough
Dr. Yarbrough, Frank’s father was a physician, known and involved in many community activities. He was a co-founder of the esteemed Owensboro Symphony Orchestra and played the violin for many years as well as serving on the board. Frank Sr. was also an accomplished amateur photographer, and loved hunting and fishing. Summers usually included extensive road trips with the family traveling across the country. (Deceased 2009)
Frank’s mother, Josephine (Miller) from Rumsey, KY, studied and graduated from Western Kentucky State University. She was also very active in the community; in the Garden Club, the Married Ladies Reading Club, Hospital Auxiliary, among others. The family was active in the First Christian Church of Owensboro. (Deceased 1992)
Frank had 2 older sisters, Mary Gail and Barbara. Gail was married to Robert Beck and passed away in 2006. Barbara and her husband Bobby Posey currently reside in Fredericksburg, VA. Barb is very active in the arts community there and has a studio at the Artful Dimensions Gallery. She is specializing in the fiber arts but is an accomplished illustrator, graphic designer and artist and has written several children’s books. Bobby is retired and his hobbies include music, wood working, and learning Italian. The Yarbrough and Posey families were and are very accomplished musicians and artists.
EDUCATION:
1958 –1964 Attended 1st – 6th Grade at Washington Elementary (now Margaret Sutton Elementary)
1964-1966 Attended 7th-8thGrade at Southern Junior High
He was a member of Kurt’s Kool Kentucky Kats – a pantomime and performance group who performed at local charities and events during Jr. High.
Frank was always very active and accomplished in Boy Scouts, Swim Club, Fishing Club, and Golf, etc.
1966–1970 Attended and graduated from Kentucky Military Institute. His accomplishments
included Varsity Letter for Swim Team, Honor Roll, Military Proficiency, Color Guard, etc.
BIO – Page 2
FRANK LEE YARBROUGH JR.
EDUCATION (cont.):
1970-1971 Kentucky Wesleyan College
1971-1975 University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Journalism major and worked on the college newspaper.
1976-1978 Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, CA
Photo Illustration
WORK LIFE –Photography:
1979-1987 Assistant Photographer NYC (fashion, annual report)
Frank moved to NYC in the spring of 1979. He assisted many well-known photographers there: Peter B. Kaplan, Barbara Bordnick, Claude Mougin, and Bill King were just a few. Frank traveled the world as an assistant; including annual reports all across Asia, and fashion shoots in the Bahamas and Europe. He worked as 1stassistant and managed the studio of, well-known Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar photographer Bill King, for 4 years before setting out on his own.
Frank married Pennie Humphreys of Stayton, Oregon in 1983. She was a graphic designer and art director. They met at Brooks institute while studying photography. Their love and passion for photography and art continued throughout their married life. Pennie is also a talented photographer and designer whose expertise contributed to Frank’s career as well as her own success as an art director.
1987-1999 Seattle/NYC/Paris/Milan - Commercial Fashion Photographer
In 1987 Frank and Pennie relocated to Seattle, where a young fashion industry was emerging. They rented and renovated a photo studio in downtown Seattle and kept it open for 4 years. servicing clients like Eddie Bauer, Frederick & Nelson, and Seattle Pacific Magazine. However, almost as soon as they moved to Seattle, Frank began working for Enrico Coveri and other fashion magazines and clients in Paris, Milan and NYC. They were essentially bi-coastal for the next 12 years. It was an amazing ride. Frank had 2 agents over this time: John Turner, the previous manager and agent of Bill King until 1993, then agent Elaine Korn until 1998.
Frank’s talent speaks for itself in the images he captured over the last 45 years. He studied his craft continuously and diligently. He searched for the unusual and new, to record and share. His talent spanned all areas of photography – people, still life, landscapes, and abstract compositions.
BIO – Page 3
FRANK LEE YARBROUGH JR.
CAREER TRANSITION, ETC.:
1998-1999 The fashion business is fickle and competitive and the pace was wearying. Once Frank discovered computers in 1991, he developed a new passion and in 1998 made the decision to change careers. He studied privately and was then employed by Austin Sierra in 1999 as a programmer. Frank loved his work and was as committed as you could be to any career.
Frank converted his photo equipment from film to digital and continued shooting his liquid flowers, working with Polaroid transfers, and generally photographing anything and everything that interested him. He photographed a variety of very interesting people over the years, creating wonderful black and white portraits which have a timeless appeal. He was represented by a Bellevue, WA Gallery and then Revolution Gallery in Issaquah, WA.
Frank and Pennie loved road trips. The first extended 6 week trip took place when they moved across the country in 1987 from NYC to Seattle. They zig-zagged across the US with their beloved cat Rugs and believed that road trips would always be on their big picture itinerary. They took another trip in 2009, across the country, beginning their trip in Washington DC, with other family members, photographing and enjoying the immense and dramatic beauty of the United States. Again in 2013, they began in and toured the entire coast line of Florida – visiting Frank’s alma mater winter campus of KMI in Venice, Florida. From there they zig-zagged, once more, across the country photographing every inch.
Needless to say, Frank always had a camera in his hand.
Other loves were fishing, including fly fishing, for salmon and other NW fish. He loved to row out in his raft to catch a few bass. He was a boater for many years and camped, crabbed and fished on Puget Sound.
Frank became an amazing cook after working for the French photographer Claude Mougin (NYC). Frank and Pennie entertained and hosted many dinner parties and events celebrating life with friends and family over the years.
BIO – Page 4
FRANK LEE YARBROUGH JR.
Frank was very accomplished, not just as an adult but as a child as well. He was a voracious reader and had an extensive library of books and music. His tastes in all of the arts were a delightful, eclectic blend of genres. His record collection included over 800 LPs. Frank did struggle with depression and self doubt over the years but that didn’t stop him from exploring all life
had to offer. He was a humble man and never tooted his own horn. He became active in church, at Westminster Chapel, Bellevue, WA.
He leaves behind many who loved and adored his laughter, jokes, great stories, delicious dinners and gentle spirit. He is desperately missed but the world is a much better place because of him. He had a lovely zest for life and
all its treasures.
Frank passed away suddenly on October 12th, 2017 of natural causes. He was 65 years old.
SEE PROFESSIONAL RESUME FOR DETAILS
1999-2017 Austin Sierra Consulting – Programmer
1999 Shazam Data Systems
Internship.
1987 – 1999 Co-owner/President Frank Yarbrough Studios, Inc.
Commercial and Editorial fashion and beauty photography
6/83 to 4/87 Studio Manager
Bill King Studio
New York, New York
Editorial, Advertising, Commercial
Editorial, Advertising, Commercial
Editorial, Advertising, Commercial
Dossier Includes:
Table of Contents
Tab 1 Portfolio and Archive Samples
Portrait
Portraits of Frank
Self Portraits
Portraits by Frank
Agents Promotions
Misc. Fashion/Editorial – BlackGama – Lauren Hutton, Teri Garr, Jane Seymour
Misc. Personal Work
Liquid Flowers Series-Prints, Polaroid Transfers, etc.
Tab 2 Bio
Early Life and Family, Education, Work
Dossier Includes:
Table of Contents
Tab 1 Portfolio and Archive Samples
Portrait
Portraits of Frank
Self Portraits
Portraits by Frank
Agents Promotions
Misc. Fashion/Editorial – BlackGama – Lauren Hutton, Teri Garr, Jane Seymour
Misc. Personal Work
Liquid Flowers Series-Prints, Polaroid Transfers, etc.
Tab 2 Bio
Early Life and Family, Education, Work Life, Career Transition,
Tab 3 Professional Resume
Vanity Fair Article – 1994 – Fashion’s Dark King – Bill King
William King, NY Times Obit 1987
Misc. Mag. Article mentioning and quoting Bill King
Bill King, Polaroids – Frank Yarbrough 1st Assistants
Tab 4 In Celebration of Frank Lee Yarbrough Jr.
Memorial Brochure
Eulogy by Barbara Yarbrough Posey
Tab 5 Proposed Inventory
Personal Work - Liquid Flowers
Editorial, Advertising, Commercial
Personal Work - Liquid Flowers
Frank's personal work includes a collection called Liquid Flowers., as well as portraits, landscapes and other photographic adventures.