Want to know about commitment to your art? Think you have what it takes? Listen up.
For the last 40 years, Sam Abell has worked as a documentary photographer, primarily for National Geographic. In this video interview for the Atlantic (created by Alex Hoyt & Ross McDermott), Sam recounts his year-long quest to find the perfect image for a story.
No excuses about modern timelines, budgets, or any of that. When was the last time you hunted for an image, a clip, a specific shot for a year?
Didn’t think so. Confession = me neither. #Inspiring
Wow, talk about serendipity!
The living bison walking into the scene at exactly the right moment, in exactly the right pose, at the perfect spot in the composition, is a testament to the fact that God has a way of getting personally involved at that level of commitment. A fitting tribute to Charles Russel as well. He would have definitely understood and appreciated the honor, sacrifice and commitment that went into that moment. I can’t help wondering if in some supernatural, God ordained way, that living bison was the embodiment of Charle’s passion for telling the story of that majestic creature, and that majestic era, standing in for one final frame.
What an amazing article.
Thank you for sharing.
Nice story
Alas I’m not at the point of searching for “THE photo” yet.
I think before that you/we need to find a story or a narrative – and I’m not there yet – still doing little (seemingly insignificant) bits and pieces – I need to find or should I say MAKE time to sit down, clear my head and think of a project I want to work on.