Living in Amish Country

After living most of my life in and around the city of Philadelphia, PA, we moved out to the Amish farmlands of Chester and Lancaster counties in May, 2008. What a change from the hustle and bustle of the big city and suburbs. The slower pace and beautiful scenery of the country is a welcome change. From the wonderful farms to the interesting scenes of Amish life, the opportunities for photographs are endless… although I have to admit I haven’t been taking full advantage of it.

Fall in Amish Country (Click photo for info)

The thing that has impressed me the most about the Amish people over the last year is how hard they work. Not just the men, but the women and the children of all ages. It’s not unusual to be driving along a country road and see a young woman or a 12-year old boy working the fields behind a team of six plow-horses.

I always try to keep my eyes open for good photo-opportunities, but I have to admit that I’ve missed a number of good shots for one or more of the following reasons:

• I didn’t have my camera with me at the time (I know – a cardinal sin for a photographer).

• I couldn’t stop the car because the location or traffic made it impossible. Driving in Amish country is generally easy and peaceful, but at certain times you get a strange mix of traffic on some of the roads. You start with the slow-moving horse-and-buggies and farm equipment, add in a bunch of big-rigs flying up and down the country roads to avoid the turnpike tolls, and mix in hordes of impatient tourists on sunny weekends… I’ve seen many dangerous situations unfold.

• I didn’t want to violate the beliefs of the Amish regarding having their picture taken. The reason generally given for their aversion to pictures is the second commandment in Exodus 20, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” I’m not sure how many Amish actually apply that commandment to picture taking – however, I think the reason has more to do with vanity and humility. I think they feel that a picture of a person is a way of glorifying the outward man, not strengthening the inner man, which would lead them away from their goal of true humility. Being a photographer, I obviously don’t share their beliefs about picture taking, but I certainly respect them. I have taken a few pictures with Amish people in them, but usually from a distance where they are not very recognizable.

Amish Farmer (Click photo for info)

Off the topic of photography a little... I always knew a little about the Amish with their buggies and lack of electricity, but in the short time we’ve lived here I've learned a few additional things I didn’t know before:

• They have church services every other Sunday, with services held in homes or farms.

• When two young people want to get married, they usually “publish” their engagement in October. All weddings are usually held on Tuesdays or Thursdays in November or December.

• Some Amish groups practice “Rumspringa”, meaning “running around”, where boys and girls in their late teens are allowed to experience the ways of the world before they decide to leave or stay in the Amish church. Despite the spotlight of the media on the few who get into rebellious behavior, the vast majority (80 – 90%) of Amish youth decide to stay.

• Under no circumstances would an Amish farm be connected into the power grid – it’s too much of a direct link to the outside world. However, they can use off-line sources of power like batteries and gas generators for things like refrigeration, welding farm equipment, and certain businesses, like carpentry. They also are allowed to have phones, but not in the main house – only in outbuildings, where it won’t interfere with family life.

Baling the Hay (Click photo for info)

Working the Fields (Click photo for info)

If you have a chance, please check out my ImageKind Store and Flickr Collections.

NEXT POST: Another Step Back in Time

A Word about Equipment

In case you’re interested in what camera and computer equipment I own, here’s a list of what I’m currently using:

Camera: Canon EOS 30D (3-years old)

Lenses: Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

Computers: Toshiba Satellite M35X Laptop (5-years old)

Gateway 700X Desktop (7-years old)

w/ HP 2159m Monitor (Recent replacement)

Software: Canon Digital Photo Professional

Adobe Photoshop 7

Here’s a list of camera and computer upgrades and additional lenses I’d like to be using someday:

Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark II or Canon EOS 7D

Lenses: Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

Canon Extender EF 2x II

Computer: Apple 24” iMac

Software: Adobe Photoshop CS4

Rationale for upgrades:

The Canon 30D is an 8.2 megapixel camera, and even though it’s not quite 3-years old, it’s already getting outdated in this age of 18 – 24 megapixel cameras.

As you can see, I have a range gap between the 17-40mm and 70-200mm lenses that needs to be filled. Also, I’d like to get more into macro-photography.

My computer equipment is also showing its age when it comes to processing power and speed. I’ve been keeping an eye on the iMac line for awhile. I think it may be time to “come over from the dark side”, as the Mac-enthusiasts say. As of this post, there are pretty solid rumors of an update to the iMac line in the near future, so I’m waiting to see what improvements that will include.

I use the Canon DPP software to do all of my basic digital post-processing (e.g. color, brightness, saturation, cropping, etc.), and I use Photoshop 7 for more advanced manipulations. I’m no expert, but I’d like to move up to CS4 to start developing more advanced processing skills, like HDR processing.

NEXT POST: Living in Amish Country

Introduction and Welcome

Welcome to my blog!!

My name is Lou Ford. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and have lived in Southeastern PA for most of my life. I currently live amid the Amish farmlands of Chester and Lancaster counties. I’m not much of a writer and have never written a blog before, but I hope this will develop into something meaningful, not only to myself, but anyone else who happens to stumble upon this page.

I’m not a professional artist. I’m not a professional photographer. In fact, at the moment, I’m not a professional anything. Just a guy looking to have a hobby in his retirement years that will not only pass the time, but provide something that will be enjoyed by myself and others.

I've always been into photography - going back to my childhood days with a Kodak Instamatic. Through the years, most of my work has involved filling photo albums with family pictures and documenting family vacations. Only recently, through retirement, have I been able to dedicate more time to developing a style and building a portfolio. I really enjoy photography. To me it is a way to get out and enjoy and celebrate the beauty of God's creation.

I haven’t developed a specialty yet… I have a wide range of photographs in my galleries - flowers and water lilies, cityscapes, travel and landscape photos, photos of rural Pennsylvania around my home, hummingbirds, and digitally altered works. I hope to add even much more variety as we go along.

I don’t know where this blog will be taking me, but I’ll probably start out with photography around the southeastern PA area, where I live. Maybe throw in some topics from trips we’ve taken in the recent past, or will take in the future.

I have no grandiose expectations that this blog will be read by many people – or even ANY people. But I hope to use it to improve my skills in digital photography, and hopefully the skills of others.

Lou Ford

PS - If you have a chance, please check out my ImageKind Store and Flickr Collections.

NEXT POST: A Word about Equipment