Animal Liberation Now: my portraits of philosopher Peter Singer
Peter Singer is widely regarded as one of the most influential philosophers of the modern era. His ideas have had a profound impact on a range of social issues, including animal rights. Singer's 1975 book, Animal Liberation, is often considered a foundational text for the animal rights movement. And now, nearly 50 years after the book was first published, Singer has released a new, updated edition of Animal Liberation called Animal Liberation Now.
Peter Singer with a sheep at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY. Photo @2006 Derek Goodwin Photography
In 2006 I was at the peak of my vegan activism, and was attending the Farm Sanctuary’s Hoe Down in Watkins Glen, NY as the official photographer. The Hoe Down is a fun event where people camp, visit the rescued farm animals, eat great vegan food, and get to be inspired by leading activists and thought leaders.
Peter Singer was speaking that year, and I was super excited to meet him. To my understanding, Animal Liberation was the book that sparked the modern animal rights movement, and Mr. Singer was the “father” of that movement. Although it wasn’t directly responsible for my choice to become vegan, the book definitely helped me understand the issues on a deep level and gave me a framework for thinking about humans, the value of any life, and our treatment of animals.
At one point Mr. Singer asked me if I would do headshots for him, and I was thrilled! We went into Farm Sanctuary’s garden and I took some portraits.
The fun part came afterwards, when we went to take photos with the animals. I had gotten very good at photographing sanctuary animals and so this was an environment I was more comfortable in. We didn’t have a ton of time, but I got one iconic photo of Peter Singer with a sheep in the sheep barn (above), and one fun portrait of him with a pig with the pig barn in the background (below).
Peter Singer with a pig at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY. Photo @2006 Derek Goodwin Photography
What’s so great about peace, love and compassion for animals?
In Animal Liberation, Singer argues that non-human animals are capable of experiencing pleasure and pain, and as such, have moral value. He contends that humans have a moral obligation to consider the interests of animals when making decisions that affect them. This includes refraining from using animals for food, clothing, entertainment, and experimentation. Singer's ideas on animal rights have inspired a global movement, with activists campaigning for the rights of animals and against animal cruelty.
The impact of Singer's work on the animal rights movement has been significant. His ideas have helped to shape public discourse and influenced the development of animal welfare laws. For example, Singer's work has been instrumental in the push to end the use of animals in cosmetic testing, and has spurred the development of more humane farming practices. Singer's work has also been critical in shaping public perceptions of animal rights, helping to bring the issue into the mainstream.
Animal Liberation Now provides an updated analysis of the state of the animal rights movement, exploring the progress that has been made in the decades since the book was first published. It also includes new arguments in favor of animal rights, as well as a discussion of emerging ethical issues related to animal welfare.
A Q&A on Princeton.edu website asks, “How has your project developed or changed throughout the research and writing process? Peter answers, “I learned a lot about recent developments, some encouraging and some very disappointing. It was a lot of work getting up to date with all of the areas that the book touches on – including new topics like climate change that were not even on my radar in 1975.”
Peter Singer Portraits at Princeton University in 2022
Peter Singer was kind enough to put the photos I took of him at Farm Sanctuary on his website with my contact information, and over the years they have been used by universities, NPOs, online journals, and even ended up as author photos in a couple of his books.
I have always wanted to get the chance to do his portrait again, now that I have lots more experience as a portrait photographer under my belt. We began talking about a session before the pandemic, but he spends half of his year in Australia and we didn’t get to synch our schedules pre-Covid.
When I was asked to photograph a friend’s wedding in New Jersey in September of 2022, I reached out and he happened to be available that week. We met at his office in Princeton University, where he is Professor of Bioethics in the University Center for Human Values.
We only had about a half hour, and while I was setting up my lights he told me he was writing an update to Animal Liberation. I asked if he had any copies of the original first edition. He did, and we added it to a couple of the portraits so he could use them for promoting Animal Liberation Now when it came out. I’m happy with the results!
I am super grateful to have had these opportunities to have portrait sessions with Peter Singer, and I hope these photos help him to do some good in the world.
Beyond Animal Rights
Peter Singer is chair of the board of The Life You Can Save, a nonprofit organization that promotes actions around the argument that those of us in affluent countries should regularly donate a portion of our resources to organizations with proven effectiveness in helping those in the world who were unlucky enough to be born into extreme poverty. If you want to make a real difference in the lives of people in extreme poverty with your charitable giving, I strongly suggest supporting one or more of the outstanding organizations on The Life You Can Save’s list of recommended charities.
Check out the complete list of Peter Singer’s projects on his website.
Peter Singer Portraits are available for purchase on my website. If you are a non-profit organization or publisher who wants to use my photos of Peter Singer please contact me.
