Sam Abell: The Photographic Life [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Leah Bendavid-Val (Author), Sam Abell (Author, Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2002

Celebrated photographer Sam Abell has been a mainstay in the landscape photography and photojournalism worlds for decades. Immensely well-known and popular among photography students and amateur photographers alike, Abell's signature landscape photography has graced the pages of such magazines as National Geographic and Popular Photography. Sam Abell: The Photographic Life is an unprecedented look at the life and work of this artist's photographic process and reveals much about the relationship between art and life through the teachings that make him so sought after by photography students. This elegant book contains photography by Abell and such ephemera as postcards and invitations-most previously unpublished-that detail the inspiration for and influences on his photography. This a perfect gift book for lovers of photography.

This book coincides with a major traveling retrospective that opens in fall 2002 at the Bayly Museum of Art, Charlottesville, the artist's hometown. The exhibit travels to the Toledo Museum of Art and the George Eastman House.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sam Abell has been a photographer for National Geographic since 1970. His previous books include Stay This Moment and Seeing Gardens. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the George Eastman House, Rochester, New York, and the Santa Fe Center for the Visual Arts, where he teaches. He is represented by the Kathleen Ewing Gallery, Washington, D.C.
He lives with his wife Denise in Crozet, Virginia.

Leah Bendavid-Val is the author of four books on photography including Propaganda & Dreams and Stories on Paper & Glass. She has curated photography exhibitions for the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and the Pushkin Museum of Art, Moscow. She has been a book editor for National Geographic since 1985 and is presently Editorial Director for inSIGHT, an ongoing series of monogarphs on photographers.
She and her husband Avrom have three children and live in Washington, D.C.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (November 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847824969
• ISBN-13: 978-0847824960
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 10.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,083,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Photography books I have ever bought., November 11, 2002

By 

Mediahound (SF Bay Area, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sam Abell: The Photographic Life (Hardcover)

Despite the high price, this is one of the best photography books I have ever purchased.

As a photographer myself, I can say that it is refreshing to see a book that delves into the stories behind the pictures (many which have been featured in National Geographic magazine) with both meaningful text as well as the display of surrounding photographs which led up to the final published one-the outtakes so to speak. Seeing these outtakes is enlightening. It provides a glimpse via examples, into Sam Abells working style and methods of seeing.

Abell proves himself a very generous and inspiring person. He shows an uncanny ability to not only make amazing photographs, but to also talk saliently and make clear statements about the process of making them too. Abell shares with us his thoughts, and stories for his photography. I'm not sure many other other photographers would be so willing to do so.

I found it interesting to learn and understand what went through Sam Abells mind while making photographs. Oftentimes one sees a photographer's results (the final images) yet knows nothing about the journey of work it took to actually achieve the results. This book fills that gap beautifully.

One can tell that this is a very personal book for Sam Abell. He does indeed live the photographic life, not only documenting important public places and events, but those of his own inner life as well.

The size of this book is quite hefty, perfect for a coffee table-it's that type of book. The production quality is top notch-the book text is easy to read and the images are presented beautifully.

My only complaint (and it's a small one), is that the ink on the front cover (the book is cloth bound) is not even and is faded and light in places. Again, this is minor and all the text throughout the inside of the book is perfect. Also, the book is a bit expensive.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new sight, April 24, 2004

By 

Gwynn Powell (Athens, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sam Abell: The Photographic Life (Hardcover)

Seeing the word in a new way....learning the patience to wait for the picture to happen...life to happen. An incredible journey that invites you to linger and ponder.

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful photography, January 21, 2012

By 

Richard W - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sam Abell: The Photographic Life (Hardcover)

Being a photographer myself and predominately photographing in black and white it takes a lot to get me to buy colour photographic books. Sam Abell's unique eye and great use of subdued colour is a winner for me. In fact I find his compositions are the main strength and the colour just compliments the images. This book is also a wonderful journey in ones life as a photographer. I found that it revealed so much about Abell's inner self.