“I was asked by a student what my most significant accomplishment was at National Geographic, after thirty years, and I said that my career came to an appropriate close, and I still loved photography. Not everybody who spends their career at anything ends up fascinated and involved with it.” YearsSaidStillsEndsCareersStudentsInvolvedPhotographySignificantAccomplishmentThirtyAppropriateFascinatedThirty YearsNational Geographic Author:Sam Abell
“My least favorite photographer to have would be myself. Someone who wanted a career at National Geographic. Because it's almost mathematically impossible to achieve that.” Would BeWantedCareersImpossibleAchievePhotographerNational Geographic Author:Sam Abell
“Increasingly, it's people not interested in National Geographic.” PeopleNot InterestedNational Geographic Author:Sam Abell
“Though Geographic didn't publish that photo in the story that it was done for, "The Life of Charlie Russell," a cowboy artist in Montana. But later, maybe a year and a half ago, they named it one of the 50 greatest pictures ever made at National Geographic.” YearsMadeDoneStoriesArtistHalfCowboyPublishCharlieMontanaNational Geographic Author:Sam Abell
“I did it once, and National Geographic recruited me. I did it primarily out of curiosity. A lot of legendary photographers had worked on that campaign. Ernst Haas had done the early photography, and I knew him. There's a lore in photography about that campaign, and I was curious.” DonePhotographyCuriosityPhotographerCampaignsCuriousLegendaryNational Geographic Author:Sam Abell
“When I first went to 'National Geographic,' I thought I was the least qualified person to step through the doors. But because of my parents and the culture of continual learning they imposed on us, I later came to believe I was the most qualified person who ever worked there.” FirstsBelievePersonsCultureParentStepsDoorsQualifiedNational Geographic Author:Sam Abell