Portraits of Philosophers

Portraits of Philosophers is a beautifully crafted photobook that brings you face-to-face with thirteen remarkable thinkers, from world-renowned philosophers to rising voices, as they explore some of the most important questions of the human condition. 

Through striking black-and-white portraits and candid, in-depth interviews, this book offers a rare and intimate glimpse into how these individuals think, live, and wrestle with questions at the heart of human experience.

Over the course of two years, the featured thinkers were filmed, photographed and interviewed across the globe, often in their own homes and offices, where they spoke candidly about topics including the nature of philosophy, free will, mortality, identity, love, and death. The resulting chapters pair timeless black-and-white portraits with a distilled account of the interviews that captures key ideas, exchanges, and insights.

The project was created by Minco van der Weide, a photographer and filmmaker whose work explores the human condition through careful portraiture and storytelling. With academic roots in philosophy, film, and digital humanities, his work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Biennale.