Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Maselli
Hi Liz, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up a huge animal lover. I have been vegetarian my entire life and vegan since 2011. Growing up I always wanted to be a vet and care for animals, but as I got older I realized the reality of caring for animals in a medical sense isn’t sunshine and rainbows. After I went vegan, I joined the Columbus vegan community participating in activism and other local and state events. I started volunteering with a Farm animal sanctuary after routinely visiting in 2014 as a guest. I later joined their board of directors as secretary and headed their social media, fundraising, worked on their website on top of helping with animal transports, event planning and cleaning before resigning in 2024. I started photographing my beloved residents and formed deeper love for photography. I realized photos can bridge the gap between our perception of typically farmed animals and the true reality of their kind and gentle nature. I try to capture personalities to encourage people to learn about the animals humans typically over look and don’t see as having the same feelings or rights to live their lives in peace.
I recently joined the board of a wonderful vegan sanctuary called Compassionate Acres Farm Sanctuary located in Newark, Ohio. Working with animals is my biggest passion in life and I am beyond honored to join their team. They do incredible work.
I also volunteer my photography services to other non-profit sanctuaries in Ohio like Red Oak Animal Rescue and Foreverland Farm near Cincinnati, Stahl’s No Harm Farm in Uniontown and The Good Shepherd in Neaopolis. You can find the sanctuaries I volunteer with on my website and find ways to support them as well. All of my photos for nonprofits are donation based. It’s my passion to help supply sanctuaries and rescues with material to help aid with fundraising and marketing.
My love for photography also extends to plant-based food. I work for a local vegan restaurant called Setian’s Realm running their social media and photography. I’ve worked with several vegan restaurants and have had my food photography images published in local magazines like 614now and have been featured in online vegan publications like Peta, Veg Out Magazine and even Whole Foods and interviewed by Vegan FTA 3 times. One of my greatest passions is working for businesses who have vegan and plant forward options. I genuinely love vegan food and I hope to help break the stereotype that vegan food is bland and boring. Eating more plants offers so many benefits to the animals, our planet and our health.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been. People have many opinions as photography and art in general can be very subjective and vegans definitely receive more ridicule. Many don’t take me seriously because I do only shoot vegan options or products. Photography is an art and I receive criticism for my photography a lot, bu this criticism has pushed me to work even harder and improve my art. It’s helped me develop my own style. I think as creators inside the vegan movement its so important to learn how to turn struggles and obstacles into advantages and chances to grow. Getting let go from jobs that mean the world to you and consumed so much of your time can be so heartbreaking but it also lights a fire to work harder. These are the things that have always made my photos better. Use the bad to make something good and take the time to grow and evolve your work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I absolutely love working with non-profit rescues, and I’m truly honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with Compassionate Acres Farm Sanctuary in Newark, Ohio. I also specialize in vegan food and vegan sanctuary photography, which is what I’m most known for in Columbus. It’s funny—whenever I walk into a restaurant, the kitchen already knows to make my dish extra beautiful for a good shot.
But what I’m most proud of is the work I’ve done with sanctuaries, especially in terms of fundraising. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that my photography has helped bring in support for such important causes. I’m also proud of my perseverance—overcoming the challenges in my field has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
For me, the greatest happiness comes from advocating for veganism. There are countless ways to support causes you care about, and my passion lies in using photography to make a difference. I love spending time with animals, capturing their personalities, and helping give them a voice. It’s incredibly fulfilling. I also enjoy collaborating with local vegan restaurants, supporting their social media efforts, and helping them reach more people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theveganlens.com
- Instagram: www.theveganlens_
- Linktree: https://linktr.ee/theveganlens
- Other: https://veganlens.myportfolio.com/
Image Credits
The Vegan Lens
