Sam Abell (born February 19, 1945) is an American photographer known for his frequent publication of photographs in National Geographic.
Life Abell was born in Sylvania, Ohio. His father, a geography teacher, ran a photography club. In his book The Photographic Life, Abell mentions a photograph he made while on an outing with his father, a photograph that subsequently won a small prize in a photo contest. He credits that prize as being a major influence on the direction his life would take.
Abell graduated B.A. from the University of Kentucky in English in 1969. He is also a teacher, artist and author. He began to work for National Geographic in 1976. He received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Toledo in 2009.
The Life of a Photograph is one of a three-volume series begun in 2000 with Seeing Gardens. It was followed in 2002 with The Photographic Life.
In 2024, Sam received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Photo Society, and was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame.
Publications Publications by Sam Abell Amazonia, Sam Abell, 2010 The Life of A Photograph, Sam Abell, 2008 Seeing Gardens (National Geographic), Sam Abell, 2000
Collaborative Publications Stay This Moment: Photographs of Sam Abell, Sam Abell and Robert E. Gilka, 1990
References
Jeffrey, Ian et al. (1997). The Photography Book. London:Phaidon Press Limited.
External links Sam Abell's website Sam Abell's Photography National Geographic Biography