Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Abell.
Hi Paul, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Sure, my story of how I ended up as a photographer takes quite a few twists and turns that often seen much different than other photographers who were inspired to pick up a camera early in their life.
Different than many in this profession, I never dreamed of pursuing photography as a child, teen or student at the University of Georgia. If I am being honest, I have never taken the first photography class, but I am confident that the Lamar Dodd School of art and graphic design program taught me everything I needed to be a successful photographer and designer.
From the time I was five to my early twenties, I was convinced I was going to be a professional musician. After high school, I spent several years playing in regional bands before returning to college. These were the days long before YouTube, and with Nirvana changing music and pop culture, the music I was a part of was no longer relevant.
After graduating with a BFA in graphic design from UGA, I found myself designing content for an area football team that was committed to producing content at the highest level. I made the ultimate sacrifice and sold a couple of prized guitars to purchase the camera gear needed to produce the imagery and designs I had in my head. This was pre-digital, and I was taking a big chance on myself as a photographer. Luckily, the team paid for me to learn, and by the end of the first season, I had won “Photo of the Year.”
Heading into the next season, the organization paired me with one of the most brilliant creative directors I have ever met. Together, we produced work that was un-rivaled in much of sports. My design and photo work began winning Addy and Arena Football awards that included “Special Judges Awards” and “Best of Show.” In addition to my work in Arena Football, I was contracted as one of Wire Image’s NFL commercial photo contributors and assignment photographers. I was also one of the first contract contributors for US Presswire, which later rebranded as USA Today Sports Images and now Imagn.
After holding positions as the team photographer for both the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I shifted focus to starting my own photography business. In 2008, I was given the opportunity to be the official photo provider for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Soon after, I was contracted to capture commercial NFL photos and other editorial assignments for AP Images. As of today, I am still contracted for both.
In general, sports photography has been good to me. I have had the opportunity to photograph Super Bowls, World Series, BCS and CFP National Championships, The Final Four and numerous other conference championships, big games and other sporting events over the last twenty-plus years.
In addition to my full-time positions and Peach Bowl work, I have captured imagery for MBUSA, Aston Martin, ESPN, Fox Sports, BET, MTV/Viacom, TV Land, Verizon, Dodd Trophy, Naismith Awards, Colonial Pipeline, Irving Tissue, Panini, Augusta Sportswear Brands, Atlanta Host Committee, College Football Hall of Fame, The Big 12, Georgia Tech Athletics and Georgia State Athletics, as well as countless other clients.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely, I have had obstacles and challenges along the way, dating back to when I was pursuing music as a career. Early on, it seemed I was always two steps behind, but as my images got better, opportunities began to fall into place. Maybe, it was the early 2000s and the launch of the digital photo era, or maybe, it was divine intervention. Who knows, but whatever it was, things were moving rapidly in a positive direction, but not everything I pursued, I attained.
When I first started shooting sports, I had a director of photography ghost me after he found out that I had only been a photographer a couple of years. Eventually, my portfolio grew, and I started shooting assignments for them each season.
Being labeled a sports photographer can have disadvantages that pigeonhole you as a photographer, and it can be very difficult to gain traction in other areas of photography if you do not keep constant pursuit of them.
Conversely, having a client like the Peach Bowl has opened doors that I may not have had the opportunity to do without the connections I have made over the last fifteen or so years.
Most of the challenges I face today are different than the ones I faced years ago, and as new photographers and content providers enter the creative industry, I always pay attend to trends and styles that are becoming popular. Some I adapt, and others I just enjoy them for the work created by the artist. Many new photographers struggle finding ways to sustain a full-time photo career and oftentimes cut prices in hoped that they can later raise prices one they have made a name for themselves. The only winners are the photo buyers, and photographers such as myself and others need to do a better job of educating the next generation on the photo business and how to sustain it.
In order to stay relevant, I continue to study and work to improve the areas of photography that I offer. Since Covid shut down many of the events I had booked for the year, I have become more aware of the need to broaden my photography. I am now pursuing my architectural photography more, have become an FAA 107 certified drone operator, and I am now providing video content to clients for their marketing and social media needs.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As mentioned above, I have spent the better part of the last twenty or so years capturing sports action photography, and it is undoubtedly the type of work that I am most known for. However, as a photographer I have provided everything from portraits for the everyday person to unit stills for TV Shows, to photographing Bruno Mars sound checks, to Taylor Swift and other artists on the red carpet for the CMT Awards –– much of this type of work has come through contract photography, but quite a bit has come though personal clients that I listed above. My photos have appeared commercially and editorially across the globe, and no matter the use or client, all of my work is approached the same.
Abell Images provides photography for event and trade-show based clients in need of one or more photographers. Much of the work Abell Images does is a golf tournament and event-based. We have provided coverage on up to 4 courses in a single day, and we offer on-site printing if needed.
Personally, I provide photography in the following areas…
• architectural interiors and exteriors
• environmental and studio based portraits
• event photography
• sports action
• sports portraits
• headshots
• industrial photography
• medical photography
• educational photography
• commercial and residential real estate photography
• unit stills photography
• aerial drone photo/video
• video
• digital asset management (consulting)
As a sports photographer, I pride myself in being able to capture peak moments of action, but that is not often the type of work that is used commercially or my clients. Still, I have to find balance in producing quality action and individual isolated imagery that commercial clients can use. My background as a graphic designer carried over by providing a foundational approach of positive and negative space and how my images may be used in their final designs. Having a design background has allowed me to work more closely with and gain trust of clients and creative directors that I have previously worked with.
You probably don’t find many sports photographers that love architecture the way I do, but I have had an affinity for it since I was a child. I am naturally drawn to how architecture fits into its space and how it complements and/or contrasts with its surroundings. The leading lines, shape, texture and light so profound in architecture were always a graphic quality to my designs, and they have carried over into my sports and other photography.
Sports photography happened by chance, and it will always be an integral part of who I am as a photographer and creative. However, continued creative growth is what drives me, and as I move forward in my photography career, I will continue to focus on exploring styles and areas of photography like architecture because they inspire me.
I will be forever grateful for the ones that have given me the countless opportunities I have had along the way. Without a handful of amazing people and my loving and supporting wife and family, who knows where I would be! With the Buccaneers, I stepped out and took a chance on a female sports photographer intern when it was not the norm. She was a fantastic intern, and she is an amazing photographer that deserves all the success she gets. In 2007, I led a team of nearly twenty-five part-time archivers on a project that ended up being one of the first and largest independently owned digital sports archives in the world. The process took around eight months from start to completion. I interviewed, hired and managed each and every one of them because I saw promise.
Today, many of these interns have gone on to have successful lives and careers. In the 15 years that I have led Peach Bowl Photography, I have given opportunities to many new and up-and-coming photographers. Some have carried on in sports while others have pursued other areas. If you are an up-and-coming photographer looking a sports do not hesitate to reach out, as I am always looking to add an intern to our Peach Bowl Photo team. And if you are someone looking to hire a photographer with my background and/or skillset, do not hesitate to reach out. I would love to hear from you and see how I can help!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.paulabell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abellimages
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abellimages
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-abell/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/abellimages
- Other: https://www.peachbowlphotos.com, https://www.abellimages.com
Image Credits
Paul Abell via Abell Images
