We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elizabeth Maselli a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Elizabeth, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I think there’s a lot of pressure to find your purpose in life from a very young age. Often, we have a sense of what we’re passionate about or what we want to change in the world, but the challenge is figuring out how to make it happen. For me, I’ve known since I was a little kid that I loved animals. I refused to eat them, and I’d even get myself into trouble at daycare, telling other kids where their food came from. I always knew I wanted to help animals, but it wasn’t until around 2019 that I truly began to take action by combining my passion for animals with my love for photography.
I realized how powerful images can be. They tell stories, evoke emotions, and can capture moments that words sometimes can’t. It all started in 2014 when I visited a sanctuary with my mom, which eventually led to me volunteering there. I later joined their board, ran their social media, organized fundraisers, and coordinated events with local donors—often exchanging photos and promotions for their businesses through my personal accounts. I also transported animals across the Midwest, which allowed me to meet and collaborate with other sanctuaries.
Although I resigned from the sanctuary in January 2024, I’ve stayed connected and continue to volunteer with many other sanctuaries and nonprofits. Through all of this, I’ve discovered my true purpose: helping animals through photography. My greatest fulfillment comes from supporting organizations in their work with animals and connecting with my vegan community along the way.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’ve always been a huge animal lover. I’ve been vegetarian my entire life and vegan since 2011. As a kid, I dreamed of becoming a vet to care for animals, but as I grew older, I realized the reality of working in veterinary medicine wasn’t as idyllic as I imagined.
I continue to volunteer and donate my photography services to other nonprofit sanctuaries in Ohio, such as Red Oak Animal Rescue and Foreverland Farm near Cincinnati, Stahl’s No Harm Farm in Uniontown, and The Good Shepherd in Neapolis and Barn Sanctuary in Chelsea, Michigan, Farm Sanctuary in Acton, California and Compassionate Acres in Newark You can learn more about these sanctuaries and find ways to support them on my website. All of my photography work for nonprofits is donation-based. My goal is to help provide them with the visuals they need for fundraising and marketing efforts and to share their residents with my family and friends.
Photography is also a big part of my work in the plant-based food scene. I manage social media and photography for Setian’s Realm, a local vegan restaurant, and I’ve worked with several vegan establishments. My food photography has been featured in local magazines like 614now, as well as in online vegan publications such as Peta, Veg Out Magazine, and Whole Foods. I’ve also been interviewed multiple times by Vegan FTA. One of my greatest passions is working with businesses that offer vegan and plant-based options. I truly love the diversity of plant-based food, and I’m determined to help break the stereotype that plant-based dishes are bland and boring. Eating more plants has so many benefits—not just for our health, but for the animals and the planet too.
On a personal note, I’m also a first time dog mom! I rescued my best friend, Ollie, a Bichon over the summer. We were able to nurse him back to health and he is the love of my life.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe one of the most important qualities is being open to learning and taking advice from others. There’s always so much to learn, and you need to remain open to new ideas and perspectives. Styles and trends are constantly evolving, and it’s essential to be able to adapt and grow with them. As a photographer, you’re never truly done honing your skills—it’s an ongoing process of improvement and adaptation.
Patience is also key. Building a business or growing a social media presence takes time, and for some people, it’s more of a gradual process. Another important quality is developing a sense of independence and self-confidence. It’s easy to want your work to mirror that of others you admire, but it’s crucial to focus on creating your own unique style.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who is committed to growing and working with me long-term. I really value building strong relationships with my clients and becoming a part of their team. What I enjoy most about my job is watching a business grow its social media presence and increasing their loyal customer base, and being able to contribute to that growth over time. It’s incredibly rewarding to be continuously involved in that journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theveganlens.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theveganlens_
- Other: https://linktr.ee/theveganlens
Image Credits
Liz Maselli – The Vegan Lens
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