I've had two types of mentors in my career. The first are those whom I have worked with directly that have taught me or given me opportunities. And then there are those whom I would describe as famous photographers that I have studied and dissected their work through the books that they've published, or the publications that have showcased their photographic work, such as National Geographic Magazine or Rolling Stone. The famous photographers who have inspired me and influenced me the most would be Ansel Adams, Sam Abell, David Hume Kennerly, Annie Leibovitz, and Robert Cappa. 

I recently had the opportunity to meet Sam Abell during a presentation at Morehead State University. This was the third time that I have met him. Sam came to the University of Kentucky in the mid 1960s from Sylvania, Ohio, and made a name for himself as a big fish in a small pond. UK didn't have a photo program at the time, but Sam saw it as an opportunity to work hard and apply himself. He was the editor and photographer of UK's 1967 yearbook, The Kentuckian. That yearbook and the work he put behind it launched his career, as he ultimately wound up working as a photographer for National Geographic for over 30 years.   

The first time that I met Sam was at UK on October 10, 2003. Hearing him speak that day and seeing the passion that he felt toward each of his photographs as if they were his children, it planted the seeds in my mind that it was time for me to leave Eastern Kentucky University and pursue a career on my own, with a full time freelance business. In many ways, Tim Webb Photography was born that day. I resigned my post as Eastern's University Photographer a month later, but stayed on until January 23, 2004, so that my student photographer Chris Radcliffe could graduate that December and take the helm. 

There are so many reasons that Sam Abell resonates with me. We actually have a lot in common. The biggest thing is our fathers were the ones who got both of us started in photography. Sam's father emphasized composition to him, while my dad emphasized light and taught me how to read it. Sam's father gave him what would turn out to be his mantra and the the driving force behind his work when he said, "Compose the picture and wait Sammy." Wait for it to all come together.

The next parallel was, Sam's high school journalism teacher recruited him to work on the school newspaper and yearbook. My high school journalism teacher recruited me as well. I was working at Foodtown Grocery Store in Stanton, Kentucky, the summer of 1987. I was packing out some woman's groceries one day when Betty Craft, who had been my junior English teacher the year before, pulled in front of my buggy with her window rolled down. She said, "I'm starting up the journalism program this year and we're bringing back the Pirate Press newspaper and we're also doing the yearbook. I want you to take my class." I said, "Sure, why not?" And then she drove away. I've often wondered what my life would be like if I hadn't had that 30 second conversation, because up until that point, photography had only been a hobby for me. But that high school journalism class changed everything and allowed me to be a photographer 24/7 during my senior year of 1987 and 1988. I had the camera with me all day in school and often took it home with me after school. Photography became a daily part of my life after that, and still is today.

Also, Sam went to UK and was able to work hard at a school with no photo program. I went to Eastern Kentucky University, which also didn't have a true photography program. I was photo editor of the Eastern Progress in 1991, and saw it as an opportunity to work hard and make a name for myself and to build a portfolio. I also turned down a writing internship with the Lexington Herald-Leader that summer to go back to my hometown newspaper, The Clay City Times. Working back-to-back at The Times and The Progress in 1991, pretty much launched my career. That year was the beginning of my professional career.  

But I think the biggest influence from Sam came when I heard him speak in 2003. In addition to inspiring me to go out on my own, his love for precise composition changed how I look at my photos, and I never took composition for granted ever again. He introduced me to two concepts. First, the importance of the "horizontal line," and the idea that "bad weather makes good photos." The name of his book that had just come out in 2003 was called The Photographic Life. His philosophy on photography made me stop and examine my own photographic life. 

Thank you Sam!

-30-

Sam was gracious enough to sign my copy of the 1967 University of Kentucky yearbook. Above photos by Abbey Cutrer.

It's hard to find a copy of the 1967 Kentuckian, but after searching for two years my wife Natalie found it and gave it to me as an anniversary present in 2014. 

The Photographic Life...the book that changed my life and my career in 2003. He chose to put a picture of him with his father on the cover because it was his father, like mine, that got his photographic life started.