Photographing the Amish

Amish and Photographs

Today I'd like to share with you the truth about photographing the Amish and all about Amish and pictures.

Every time I share a photo of Amish people (that are posing) on my Facebook page, I get a lot of reactions such as, "I thought Amish people don't take or have photos", etc. And that is correct. Most of the Amish people do not own cameras, and they don't take photos or have any displayed.

Amish family campout and they're playing a balloon game

However, there are also exceptions to this since the Amish do not all have the same rules.

NOTE: The photos that are shared in this post are all from my collection of photos that were taken in the 1990s, while I was still Amish. Keep in mind I grew up New Order Amish. I am in most of the photos - can you spot which one is me? (Not the best quality photos - sorry.)

Amish Photo Beliefs

If you were to ask an Amish person why they don't have or take photos, you might get varied answers. But most commonly you would receive an answer that goes something like this:

#1. "The second of the ten commandments in the Bible says that we are not to have any graven images. Photos are kind of like graven images. Therefore we don't allow them."

#2. "We believe that having photographs of ourselves is being prideful, or at least it could cause one to have pride. And we teach and believe in practicing humility. So we don't want photos around to create a stumbling block."

And those are the two main reasons why the Amish do not allow their members to own cameras, and they greatly discourage having photos.

Can You Take Pictures of Amish People?

The truth is, most of the Amish do not care if you have a photo of them. They know that they are different from the rest of the world. And they are well aware of the fact that many people are fascinated and curious about them.

Growing up Amish in Lancaster County, we were used to having lots of tourists around. And we knew that many of them were there simply because they were fascinated with the Amish.

It wasn't unusual to see a car parked beside the road, as its occupants were trying to quickly snap a few photos. And even though we weren't particularly fond of them trying to capture our photo, it wasn't a big deal. It simply was what it was. Curious people trying to get a picture.

So, yes, you can photograph the Amish. The majority of them have no problem with it. Although, I will be quick to add, "Please be respectful when taking photos of the Amish!"

Would you like a random stranger in your face trying to get your photo? No, I don't think so. Well, the Amish feel the same about their privacy as you do.

New Order Amish girls having a party — *friends having a good time*

Taking Pictures of the Amish People

Most of the Amish will refuse to pose for you. But if you ask them, they will usually be ok with you taking a photo of them in their natural setting. (There may be a few strict ones who will say no.)

But in other words, by far the greatest majority don't mind if you take a photo of them as they are going about their work, etc. They don't care if you have photos of them, they just don't want to have the photos themselves.

Should you ask permission to take their photo? That's up to you. It's not a big deal either way. Although, I would encourage you to ask for permission if you are going to be obvious about taking their photo. It's only the polite thing to do.

If I want a photo of an Amish person, I'm usually sneaky about it. So if you don't want to ask them, try to snap a photo without them seeing you. It's not that hard to sneak a photo with your phone camera.

Amish youth are posing for a photo — *Lancaster New Order Amish youth group in 1996 (We're missing a few of us, but it had gotten quite small by now.) I'm in the back- far left.*

Exceptions When it Comes to Amish Photos

So I told you there are exceptions when it comes to Amish not having photos. The New Order Amish are the exception.

Years ago, the New Order were more strict about photos. For example, my mom had a couple of photos that her Mennonite sister took of my oldest siblings, and she also had a photo of my dad.

My dad told her that she needs to throw them away. But she hid them instead. And, of course, we kids were thrilled to later find those pictures from years ago.

So we never had pictures when I was younger, except for a few school photos that our Mennonite school teachers gave us. And we never showed them to our dad.

But by the time I was a teenager, it wasn't a big deal anymore to have photos. And at one point, my siblings and I even bought a cheap camera. It was kept hushed, and we never got it out when my dad was around. But I have a nice stash of photos from my Amish teenage years (Rumspringa).

4 Amish girls being photographed — *a group of my friends and I traveled to Arkansas to visit a friend*

New Order Amish Have Photos

Some of the more progressive Amish will pose for photos and keep their pictures in a photo album.

Of course, the preachers never told us that we were allowed to buy a camera or pose for pictures. But we didn't have strict rules against it, and some things like this are just overlooked. No one makes a big deal about it.

My New Order Amish brother is a preacher. And a few years ago, their family took a trip to Ukraine to visit a missionary brother. And they bought a disposable camera to capture photos on their trip.

The New Order Amish don't have rules against having photos. Years ago it was frowned upon, but they are now less strict. And honestly, many groups tend to become more lenient over the years, some things are allowed that used to be forbidden.

So today, many Amish are more open to photos than they would have been twenty or thirty years ago.

two Amish girls hanging out in a clothes dryer — *being crazy and going for a ride in a commercial clothes dryer* *at a nursing home where my friend worked*

Most of the Amish will have no problem with you taking a photo of their farm, buggies, businesses, etc. Attitudes toward photography as a whole will vary between individuals and different groups.

But if you are respectful, most of them won't mind being photographed as long as you don't ask them to pose. And while most Amish adults don't want their faces in a photo, they don't seem to mind having their children photographed.

(My dad never did like having his photo taken. After I left the Amish and was allowed to have a camera, I tried to sneak pictures of my dad because I wanted photos to remember him and show to my kids. But if he caught me taking it, he would immediately cover his face with his hands or his hat. 🙂 And that's probably how most Amish would feel about it.)

Is it Okay to Photograph the Amish?

Yes, it's fine, as long as you are respectful about it. You can easily sneak a photo as they are busy working, etc.

But if you are going to boldly take their photo right in front of them, then please be kind and ask them if they're ok with it. That's simply common courtesy.

And if you see photos of Amish people, where they are obviously posing, remember some of the Amish actually take photographs and are allowed to have them.