Vibrant, evocative photographs capture the interactions between the Amish and the modern world.

With a steadily growing population of over 400,000 in North America, according the estimates in a2024 study, the Amish live a “Plain” lifestyle, valuing simplicity, community, and separation from the world. While attempting to maintain this distinction from the outside world, they still interact with those they refer to as “the English” as part of everyday life. Photographer Brian R. Tolbert documents these public interactions in Amish Among Us.

More than 150 engaging images depict the culture of the approximately 44,000 Amish residents of Lancaster County, the oldest and largest Amish community in North America. The curated images illustrate the Amish community’s experiences with agriculture, commerce, and livestock, as well as their interactions with non-Amish people and the trappings of modern society. The charming collection tells a story of the simple life in juxtaposition with today’s hectic world.
[AuthorName]By Brian R. Tolbert[/AuthorName][AuthorBio]Brian R. Tolbert is a documentary artist whose primary medium is photography. He received a BFA in illustrative photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology. His long-term projects investigate the visual language of American communities, exploring themes of place, tradition, and cultural continuity.A former resident of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, he now resides near Richmond, Virginia.[/AuthorBio][NumIllustration]162 color images[/NumIllustration][CoAuthor][/CoAuthor][SubTitle]The Simple Life in Modern Times[/SubTitle][ColorPattern]162 color images[/ColorPattern]