Swiss photographer Sara Affolter makes high-quality portraits of animals, to draw attention to the fate of abandoned pets and livestock.
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00:00This is Stella. Her master went to jail, so now she lives on an animal rescue farm in Switzerland.
00:10So does Paige, a hog bought from a farmer. Now it can grow old here.
00:15And Tuk Tuk, the last remaining rooster from a large flock, is no longer alone.
00:20Swiss photographer Zara Affelter is out to put a face on animals with stories like these.
00:26These stories are almost endless. Some are really hard to hear.
00:30Her coffee table book Wegwerfware, or Disposable Goods, won a Federation of European Photographers photo book prize for 2024.
00:39It's a collection of portraits of animals that were left in shelters for a variety of reasons.
00:44Their owners couldn't take care of them anymore, or simply didn't know what they were in for when they bought them.
00:50I've heard so many stories, some of which were very tragic or sad.
00:54For example, I was at a parrot rescue center. Parrots can live up to 80 years.
00:59Some arrive here very young, but they can no longer find a home.
01:03So they spend almost their entire lives in this cage, along with 240 other parrots.
01:11But Zara had more pleasant experiences at a sanctuary for animals in Kaisten, about 53 kilometers west of Zurich.
01:18Here, about 190 animals can spend their remaining years with dignity.
01:30It's just a drop in the bucket. We could double the number of animals here within a month.
01:36Easily. We've had so many inquiries, and it doesn't even depend on the season.
01:42Many people ask if it's especially bad in the summer. But for us, it's about the same year-round.
01:53A black canvas, a key light, and of course her camera is all Zara needs.
02:01Some animals are curious and come to the photo sessions on their own. Others need a helping hand.
02:11I don't want animals that are scared and have to be forced.
02:15They have to do this of their own accord, and they have to trust me.
02:21With nothing but a dark background, Zara focuses attention on the animals themselves,
02:26on the individual character found in each animal.
02:29Many animals reveal a character that hardly shows the abuse.
02:33I admire that about these animals a lot. They can just leave it behind them and carry on with life.
02:42For two years, the photographer made the rounds to Switzerland's animal shelters for the book.
02:47That showed her the true enormity of the problem of unwanted animals.
02:52So many animals end up in rescue centers and shelters because people are simply unaware
02:57of how much work and responsibility they've taken on. Sometimes for 20 years or more.
03:06She gives the resulting images only minimal touch-ups.
03:09And although she's collected a catalogue of stories, the book includes very little explanatory text.
03:16Many of the stories hit really hard. But if you were to put these texts in,
03:21you'd take away from viewers' imaginations.
03:24But with just names and images, you can think for yourself what kind of stories might lie behind them.
03:32Her book is a project born of love. Zara does not see animals as consumer commodities.
03:38To me, animals are family members. They're living creatures just like we are.
03:43And they have feelings like we do too. And I believe we ought to treat them accordingly.
03:51Better treatment of all animals. This is what Zara Affolter aims to promote with her photo book.