Vermont Documentary Photographer & Photojournalist
Seth Butler is an award-winning Vermont (VT) based photographer working in the traditions of documentary photography, photojournalism & fine art who specializes in creative visual storytelling & nonfiction reportage. As both a photographer & designer, Seth often contributes to the long-form visual storytelling reportage of journalistic, editorial, commercial, educational, portrait, event, arts, travel, agritravel, agricultural, affordable housing & renewable energy clientele near central Vermont, New Hampshire, New England & further afield.
The longer story of a career steeped in visual storytelling…
Seth Butler is a visual communications professional, designer, educator, photojournalist and documentary photographer. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with honors from Montserrat College of Art in 2002 and has since worked as a creative director, art director, graphic designer, photo editor, writer and photographer in diverse marketplaces including travel, adventure, advertising, editorial, education and nonprofit.
Seth’s photography is published in numerous periodicals including reportage previously featured in Der Spiegel, Public Radio International’s The World, BlueEyes Magazine, America Online Pixcetera, Vision Magazine, Transworld Snowboarding Magazine, Snowboard Magazine, Vermont Life, Upper Valley Life, Burlington Free Press, Vermont Standard, and Valley News. His photography was recently recognized with an award for feature photography from the Vermont Press Association, thanks to the outstanding kindness of his favorite local publisher at The White River Valley Herald.
Seth’s long form documentary reportage TATTERED: Investigation of an American Icon is critically acclaimed by the Harvard University anthropologist Grant McCracken, and was highlighted in academic coursework as a model for longform documentary storytelling in the medium of electronic photojournalism by a longtime professor at the Missouri School of Journalism. Seth was recently honored in the International Photography Awards™ Family of Man photography competition.
More than a decade ago, Seth was nominated for the esteemed Photo District News annual shortlist (PDN’s 30) by a dear friend and publishing colleague. Shortly thereafter, he was chosen to represent Vermont as the Vermont photographer for the internationally acclaimed 50 States Project, curated by Stuart Pilkington from the United Kingdom. His photography is privately collected internationally, and solicits praise in globally-juried photography festivals, competitions and publications at times.
In 2008, Seth co-founded Momenta Workshops, an organization committed to teaching documentary photography within immersive, real-world learning environments, contributing to curricula, research and development efforts through 2017. Previous to this, Seth apprenticed in Manhattan for world-renowned Magnum photographer Steve McCurry. Beginning in 2003, he was chosen to contribute to a diverse, expansive and often-changing international photography studio environment during his tenure as Imaging Studio Manager. Further promoted in 2004, Seth transitioned on to develop, produce, manage and teach group travel photography workshops with Steve McCurry through 2008.
Late in 1999, Seth co-founded the once critically acclaimed magazine The Journal — a publication then focusing on positive influence for contemporary youth culture — contributing to the magazine as publisher, and creative director through 2006. His creative endeavors with The Journal are highlighted by various periodicals including Thrasher Magazine, Transworld Skateboarding, Transworld Snowboarding, and Vogue Japan.
Currently, Seth resides in Vermont, where he often focuses on advocating for humanity, including recent volunteer service in support of regional economic developments in the interest of supporting the arts, local businesses, and cultural nonprofits via Vermont Creative Network.
Beyond continuous study of the social landscape revealed in nonfiction photography, he truly enjoys slowly mountain biking up hills in local forests, snowboarding in the New England sidecountry, skateboarding old school, traveling far afield amidst limited resources, stacking firewood, meditating, watching the night sky for arrivals of aurora borealis, and awaiting the Swift-Tuttle comet’s annual Perseid meteor showers.
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Ethical Resources
Society for Photographic Education Code of Conduct