Our Amish neighbors had church at their home this week. As the buggies drove up the lane I saw one buggy had a youngster sitting in the front like this one. The buggies are rather cramped especially with larger families so they have to squeeze in tight especially in the winter when usually they drop the side flaps to hold what little heat their bodies make in. The mother and father sit on the seat. If there is a very young child the mother will hold them. Two or three maybe four toddlers will squeeze in behind them. Any more than that they sit on the floor in front.
This is a very engaging shot because of the boy's gaze. Did he see you taking his picture? It's my understanding that the Amish do not like their faces photographed. It must be interesting to have such a different way of life so close at hand- almost a clash of two different eras.
@olivetreeann - I don't believe that he saw me as I was in the house and shot this through two windows. A kitchen window and porch window which added to the fuzziness.
I don't know if the picture taking thing depends on the community (settlement) they live in, their bishop's determination, or the individual family but I had asked our neighbor sometime ago how they felt about having their picture taken and they told me that they didn't mind. But then they explained that it was okay to take pictures of the children up to the point that they take the vow to follow the Amish traditions. So I do want to not upset anyone and if I do I do it I either don't capture their faces or I don't let myself be seen. And I do it very sparingly.
@olivetreeann - I guess I could have added that they aren't completely independent of modern technology. They use our telephone quite often, but they can't own one. However, I have learned recently that Amish businesses are allowed to buy cellphones for business purposes only. They also have farm tractors that they used the PTO, power take off, to fill their silos. They also use gasoline engines to run pumps for the well and to charge the batteries for their buggy lights.
But over all they farm just like they did back before modern tractors and combines were invented.
@skipt07 Yes, I'd heard about many of those concessions. I think they (as a community) realized that, especially in business, it was a matter of survival. I used to teach in an area where the Old Order Menonites owned farms some related businesses. They are very much like the Amish in practice but they too allowed the use of gas engines for farm work. They also allowed a phone to be installed in the barn for emergencies such as calling a vet for a sick animal, but not for private use. It is very interesting to see how they adapt/adjust out of necessity.
I don't know if the picture taking thing depends on the community (settlement) they live in, their bishop's determination, or the individual family but I had asked our neighbor sometime ago how they felt about having their picture taken and they told me that they didn't mind. But then they explained that it was okay to take pictures of the children up to the point that they take the vow to follow the Amish traditions. So I do want to not upset anyone and if I do I do it I either don't capture their faces or I don't let myself be seen. And I do it very sparingly.
But over all they farm just like they did back before modern tractors and combines were invented.