On the occasion of the Vital Impacts Annual Print Initiative, running from November 3rd to December 24th, 2025, Jane Goodall’s signed prints — along with 60 images from internationally acclaimed environmental photographers — will be available for purchase. The initiative offers an alternative to traditional gifts, supporting youth education, wildlife protection, and community-based conservation.
Self Portrait.
In her early days at Gombe, Dr. Jane Goodall spent many hours sitting on a high peak with binoculars or a telescope, searching the forest below for chimpanzees. She took this photo of herself with a camera fastened to a tree branch.
This photo is available hand signed by Dr. Jane Goodall herself, as well as without a signature.
Says Dr. Goodall, “I was really excited to see that that photo of me looking out at the valley at Gombe with my trusty lightweight telescope was chosen. It was taken in, I think, 1962. I was on my own, very high up in the hills and I thought what a great photo this would make.”
“I had to find a place where there was a tree that was just right for balancing the camera. I had to set up the tripod and fiddle about until I had the tripod and the imagined image of me framed just right. That was in the days before digital so I had to wait a long time before I got the results back from National Geographic. I was pretty proud of myself. I love that picture.”
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and UN Messenger of Peace, is a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world.
Jane Goodall
Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, Jane Goodall has inspired generations through her work grounded in hope and in the belief that a better world is possible. As Ami Vitale, National Geographic photographer and founder of Vital Impacts, noted, “Jane taught us that protecting our planet begins with love, respect, and truly listening: to animals, to nature, and to one another. She reminded us that every act of care, no matter how small, matters, and that compassion has the power to change the world. Jane’s spirit—joyful, fearless, and endlessly curious—lives on in every person she inspires, and in every effort made to protect life on this planet.”