Seth Dochter’s photographs serve as a reminder of how beautiful Lancaster County truly is. Seth is a self-taught photographer who began dabbling in the art three years ago. His full-time manufacturing job helps to explain why many of Seth’s shots are taken as the sun rises or sets.
Mist shrouds the fields and trees in this early-morning shot.
Still, like most dedicated photographers, Seth is rarely without his camera. Peruse his websites or social-media sites, and you’ll see photos that epitomize Lancaster County: cows grazing in a field, the Ephrata Fair, apple-picking at Brecknock Orchard, country roads, the Strasburg Rail Road, and farmland punctuated by barns and silos.
In an effort to share the beauty of Lancaster County with locals and visitors alike, Seth launched the website AmishRoadShow.com. He’s also the owner of Dochter Digital Media and is finishing the certification process to be a Google Trusted Independent Photographer, through which he will create walk-throughs of businesses that will be on Google Maps. And, now it can be said that Seth is an award-winning photographer. A photograph he submitted to Lancaster’s first Instagram contest that was conceptualized by Paul Anater and backed by the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau was chosen as the winning entry from the 6,000+ that were received.
As with many of his landscapes, Seth used a Nikon D5100 camera for the cover shot that was taken along Diem Road on the south side of the Welsh Mountains. His use of a High Dynamic Range technique allows him to capture multiple images at one time. Merging them allows for a full range of light, which ensures that all aspects of the photo are in focus. “The cover photo goes a bit further though,” he explains. “I used a few Photoshop plug-ins to make it more surreal. I am a big fan, and draw inspiration from the master impressionist and post-impressionist painters. With my photography, I like to utilize the tools available to convey the impression or feelings that a scene left on me, not just what I saw. So, there is almost always some level of post-processing that goes into my work. I usually only manipulate the color and light, and I don’t usually change anything in the photo unless it is some small detail that ruins an otherwise great shot.”
Seth and his wife, Stephanie, live in East Earl. They are the parents of two children, Zoe and Lucas.
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