Sam Abell practices the art of quiet photography shaped by the flatlands of Ohio and influenced by his relationship with his father who was his first photographic mentor. Abell left the plains on his assignments as a photographer for National Geographic, but the plains never left him.
There is openness in his images with backgrounds of flat and endless space.
His long career is filled with evocative images of people, wildlife and environment during his travels for National Geographic. Abell has become known for his quiet photography stylistic expression.
What is quiet photography? How did Abell develop his style, and what influenced his art?
Interview with Sam Abell
A Cowboy Photo
Many famous photographers become known for one picture or a series of pictures that stand the test of time and are still viewed way past their publication dates. Abell used his style of quiet photography to produce photographic compositions of the American West based on the paintings of Charles Russell. He provided a modern glimpse into the culture and nature of plains and western way of life.
Sam Abell Cowboy Photo
Sam Abell’s Year Long Quest for a Photo
- Sam Abell and winter bison
Canoe Communications 
Thank you for sharing these great interviews with Sam Abell. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next from you. Keep up the good work.
I enjoyed reading your post too and seeing your great photos.
Wonderful pictures and loved the interview. Interesting about Sam and his dad and not being able to talk like they did while they were engaged in photography. Says something about when your doing something you love.
Wonder if that time with his father sparked that passion for photography in him. 🙂 Great comment of yours.
Amazing work. An inspiration. Thanks for sharing.
Very welcome and thanks for the kind comment.
You know, your post comes a great time for me. I had been failing to post everyday because I thought my landscape pictures of rolling grasslands were boring. But now I see it is not the landscape – but my presentation of it! Again, thanks for sharing this man’s work.
I’m smiling while reading your comment, because I had the same thought after listening to Abell in the video and viewing his pictures. His videos gave me ideas on how to make my photos more complex too.
So in my picture Winter First Light, I snapped a wind-shaped tree in front of the landscape.
I’m glad it gives you ideas and gets you to go back out with the camera.
Amazing photography and his passion for his work really shows in those quiet photographs
I agree with you, and it gives us a new way to look at things.
I wasn’t familiar with him, and I enjoyed the bison video – the admonition to “Wait” is a good one, though hard to do sometimes. Thanks.
I know what you mean, and sometimes I snap a couple and then wait. I like his tip about waiting for the light to change.