--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [In the late 80's] that's the first time…" description: "\"[In the late 80's] that's the first time I heard about that astonishing idea [that most photographs would be taken on telephones]. And now I've been wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/sam-abell-7768_astonishing_in-the-late-80-s-that-s-the-first-time-i_650129.png" --- # \[In the late 80's\] that's the first time I heard about… ![“[In the late 80's] that's the first time I heard about that astonishing idea [that most photographs would be taken on telephones]. And now I've been watching the tsunami of images.” quote by Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/sam-abell-7768_astonishing_in-the-late-80-s-that-s-the-first-time-i_650129.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/sam-abell-7768_astonishing_in-the-late-80-s-that-s-the-first-time-i_650129.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa1/sam-abell-7768_astonishing_in-the-late-80-s-that-s-the-first-time-i_650129.png) > “\[In the late 80's\] that's the first time I heard about that astonishing idea \[that most photographs would be taken on telephones\]. And now I've been watching the tsunami of images.” [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The idea that phones would become primary cameras seemed absurd, yet now images flood daily life. **In simple terms:** Phones now dominate photography, creating massive image flow. Key Takeaway Adapt to ubiquitous mobile photography. Themes technology media culture Mood nostalgic observant Type commentary philosophical When to use this quote - social media - journalism - personal documentation Key Concepts digital revolution visual overload Questions to Reflect On - How has mobile photography changed your perception of images? - What are the benefits and drawbacks of constant image sharing? A Different Perspective Reliance on phones may reduce image quality and privacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tsunami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tsunami/) ## Related quotes > [The reason I call myself a documentary photographer is the idea of how photographs contain and participate in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-opie/the-reason-i-call-myself-a-documentary-photographer-is-the-idea-of/) [Catherine Opie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-opie/) > [“Feelings are like waves; we can't stop them from coming. Some waves feel like a familiar touch, soothing and known. Others come like tsunamis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-hussain-raja/feelings-are-like-waves-we-can-t-stop-them-from-coming-some-waves/) [Shahid Hussain Raja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-hussain-raja/) > [Who is to say that animals are dumb? When a tsunami is about to come, animals run to higher ground. Humans stay put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-is-to-say-that-animals-are-dumb-when-a-tsunami-is-about-to-come/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Each year, at the typical nuclear reactor in the U.S., there's a 1 in 74,176 chance of an earthquake strong enough to cause damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/each-year-at-the-typical-nuclear-reactor-in-the-u-s-there-s-a-1-in-74/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [From the streets of Cairo and the Arab Spring, to Occupy Wall Street, from the busy political calendar to the aftermath of the tsunami…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/from-the-streets-of-cairo-and-the-arab-spring-to-occupy-wall-street/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [There is a chance that we could have at least as many dying from communicable diseases as we've had dying from the tsunami.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nabarro/there-is-a-chance-that-we-could-have-at-least-as-many-dying-from/) [David Nabarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nabarro/) > [I think we're in a 1970s-level moment of social transition and they're always full of upheaval. As violent and deranged as we can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-robinson/i-think-we-re-in-a-1970s-level-moment-of-social-transition-and-they/) [Eden Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-robinson/) > [But none of that kept me from picturing what a tsunami might look like if it did rise up and roar toward my little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-sunderland/but-none-of-that-kept-me-from-picturing-what-a-tsunami-might-look/) [Abby Sunderland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-sunderland/) > [The country has to get together and has to do something about this. It reminds me of what happened last year with the tsunami.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/the-country-has-to-get-together-and-has-to-do-something-about-this-it/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [What happens when an industry transitions from using one or more 'smart' and centralized networks to using a common, decentralized, open, and dumb network?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-antonopoulos/what-happens-when-an-industry-transitions-from-using-one-or-more/) [Andreas Antonopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-antonopoulos/) > [I've found that any time you go against the people's voice you're going up against a tsunami that will have unbelievable power and implications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/i-ve-found-that-any-time-you-go-against-the-people-s-voice-you-re/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [The current situation of the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear plants is in a way the most severe crisis in the 65 years since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoto-kan/the-current-situation-of-the-earthquake-tsunami-and-the-nuclear/) [Naoto Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoto-kan/) > [Disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, floods, oil spills and radioactive fallout cause massive death of people, pigs, bats and birds. These disasters also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stamets/disasters-such-as-earthquakes-tsunamis-volcanoes-floods-oil-spills/) [Paul Stamets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stamets/) > [Sometimes I wish eastern Congo could suffer an earthquake or a tsunami, so that it might finally get the attention it needs. The barbaric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/sometimes-i-wish-eastern-congo-could-suffer-an-earthquake-or-a/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [My life is a tsunami of inspirations. Number one is that I really do just love my BBQ. I mean it's the sustenance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/my-life-is-a-tsunami-of-inspirations-number-one-is-that-i-really-do/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) ## More by Sam Abell > [Photography, alone of the arts, seems perfected to serve the desire humans have for a moment - this very moment - to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/photography-alone-of-the-arts-seems-perfected-to-serve-the-desire/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-did-it-once-and-national-geographic-recruited-me-i-did-it-primarily/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I can't speak for other photographers, but the photographers who went forward strongly when the so-called "official" part of their career ended, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-can-t-speak-for-other-photographers-but-the-photographers-who-went/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Actually, ambition won't get you that far. You'll shift gears. You'll see something that's shinier. But if you believe... then you're the long-distance runner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/actually-ambition-won-t-get-you-that-far-you-ll-shift-gears-you-ll/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [A mad, keen photographer needs to get out into the world and work and make mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/a-mad-keen-photographer-needs-to-get-out-into-the-world-and-work-and/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I have this awareness that the more dynamic the situation is, the more on guard I need to be that the dynamic isn't controlling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-have-this-awareness-that-the-more-dynamic-the-situation-is-the-more/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [What I'm interested in is modern American history. I'm taken with the changes that have occurred in America in my lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/what-i-m-interested-in-is-modern-american-history-i-m-taken-with-the/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Essentially what photography is is life lit up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/essentially-what-photography-is-is-life-lit-up/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Life rarely presents fully finished photographs. An image evolves, often from a single strand of visual interest - a distant horizon, a moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/life-rarely-presents-fully-finished-photographs-an-image-evolves/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Photographs that transcend but do not deny their literal situation appeal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/photographs-that-transcend-but-do-not-deny-their-literal-situation/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I wanted life to be episodic. I wanted to be a magazine photographer and I was willing to do what it took to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-wanted-life-to-be-episodic-i-wanted-to-be-a-magazine-photographer/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [ That statement \[ Stephen Ambrose:'You, Sam, have the hardest job, which is, pretend like nothing has happened in the last 200 years.'\] woke me… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/that-statement-stephen-ambrose-you-sam-have-the-hardest-job-which-is/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [The unusual wins out over the usual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/the-unusual-wins-out-over-the-usual/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Even though I teach with 35mm, my method takes people by surprise, because it isn't fast, and it isn't about hardware or software, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/even-though-i-teach-with-35mm-my-method-takes-people-by-surprise/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [The class that I teach is called "The Life of a Photograph." It takes up the question, of the billion photographs that were taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/the-class-that-i-teach-is-called-the-life-of-a-photograph-it-takes-up/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) [Explore all 87 Sam Abell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) ## More Astonishing quotes > [It's astonishing what you learn and feel and see along the way. That's why a reporter's job, as you know, is such a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-wallace/it-s-astonishing-what-you-learn-and-feel-and-see-along-the-way-that-s/) [Mike Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-wallace/) > [A man may perform astonishing feats and comprehend a vast amount of knowledge, and yet have no understanding of himself. But suffering directs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-man-may-perform-astonishing-feats-and-comprehend-a-vast-amount-of/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, The Headmaster's Wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime Saigon in the story of Percival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-y-k-lee-2/a-first-novel-of-astonishing-force-craft-and-beauty-the-headmaster-s/) Janice Y. K. Lee > [“What is astonishing is that we, who had no idea how anything was going to turn out, now know exactly what happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/what-is-astonishing-is-that-we-who-had-no-idea-how-anything-was-going/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [It's a great historical joke that when the Spanish met the Aztecs, it was a blind date made in serve-you-right heaven. At the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/it-s-a-great-historical-joke-that-when-the-spanish-met-the-aztecs-it/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [It was astonishing when at one point, I got the idea of how to make artifical clouds with a collaborator, we had pictures made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benoit-mandelbrot/it-was-astonishing-when-at-one-point-i-got-the-idea-of-how-to-make/) [Benoit Mandelbrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benoit-mandelbrot/) > [Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/although-there-may-be-nothing-new-under-the-sun-what-is-old-is-new-to/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [The astonishing thing for me is that I had a career before politics and I never thought about my colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-gyimah/the-astonishing-thing-for-me-is-that-i-had-a-career-before-politics/) [Sam Gyimah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-gyimah/) > [“There is no denying it; one must admit that there is something astonishing about Christianity. 'It is because you were born in it,' they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-is-no-denying-it-one-must-admit-that-there-is-something/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [It's Twitter's combination of simplicity and complexity that is astonishing in the same way that minimalist sculpture was inspiring and enlightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/it-s-twitter-s-combination-of-simplicity-and-complexity-that-is/) [Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/) > [All that we don't know is astonishing. Even more astonishing is what passes for knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/all-that-we-don-t-know-is-astonishing-even-more-astonishing-is-what/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Still more astonishing is that world of rigorous fantasy which we call mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-bateson/still-more-astonishing-is-that-world-of-rigorous-fantasy-which-we/) [Gregory Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-bateson/) > [“No one ever said aloud any of the kinds of things he was so constantly thinking, because no one in the parish, not Alice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/no-one-ever-said-aloud-any-of-the-kinds-of-things-he-was-so/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [If you worry less about what people think of you, you can pick up an astonishing amount of information about them. You no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/if-you-worry-less-about-what-people-think-of-you-you-can-pick-up-an/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [The Bureau of Justice reports that one in three black male babies born this century will go to jail or prison - that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/the-bureau-of-justice-reports-that-one-in-three-black-male-babies/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) Browse all 410 Astonishing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[In the late 80's] that's the first time I heard about that astonishing idea [that most photographs would be taken on telephones]. 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