Thread
It's time for a 🧵on #nftphotography and some of the things I've learned as a collector
It's one of my favorite genres, but has yet to command the same level of respect among collectors as digital art and collectibles, which is ridiculous.
Let me explain....
It's one of my favorite genres, but has yet to command the same level of respect among collectors as digital art and collectibles, which is ridiculous.
Let me explain....
Let's start with a photography idiot, my good friend "BatSoupDum".... BSD has the following approach to photography:
- uses an iphone
- doesn't care about lighting
- knows nothing about angles
- moves around a lot while snapping
- takes 100 shots hoping to get lucky
- uses an iphone
- doesn't care about lighting
- knows nothing about angles
- moves around a lot while snapping
- takes 100 shots hoping to get lucky
Now contrast that with a professional photographer:
- waits hours/days/weeks/months/years for the right shot
- often travels far and wide to get it, and often at ridiculous times of night
- uses insanely expensive equipment
- spends many hours editing the imagery
- waits hours/days/weeks/months/years for the right shot
- often travels far and wide to get it, and often at ridiculous times of night
- uses insanely expensive equipment
- spends many hours editing the imagery
Someone like BSD frequently says "oh, I could get that shot" when looking at a professional photograph
However, this is why B-S-D is D-U-M, because there's not a chance in hell BSD will ever capture a shot like that, let alone turn it into a artistic masterpiece (more below)
However, this is why B-S-D is D-U-M, because there's not a chance in hell BSD will ever capture a shot like that, let alone turn it into a artistic masterpiece (more below)
Let's take an example.... here's @cathsimard_ sleeping in a tent for weeks in Patagonia to capture the perfect shot.
Meanwhile, BSD sits on the couch eating Ho-Hos and watching old Benny Hill re-runs.
Meanwhile, BSD sits on the couch eating Ho-Hos and watching old Benny Hill re-runs.
BSD: 
And here's @pli_panda spending 30+ hours editing his incredible shot "Confetti" (which I now own, sorry) while BSD shitposts for lulz on CT
Live look at BSD shitposting: 
Every professional photographer has stories like Cath and Peter. And herein lies the problem...
As a community, photographers have done an TERRIBLE job of finding their place here, in part, because your art is almost as much about the process as it is about the shot itself
As a community, photographers have done an TERRIBLE job of finding their place here, in part, because your art is almost as much about the process as it is about the shot itself
Pretty cool, right? But it gets better:
- it's in the middle of nowhere Iceland
- she slept in a van with 3 other people for 8 nights to capture it
- there were multiple dangerous river crossings
- I didn't ask, but I'm pretty sure she wasn't eating French Laundry every night
- it's in the middle of nowhere Iceland
- she slept in a van with 3 other people for 8 nights to capture it
- there were multiple dangerous river crossings
- I didn't ask, but I'm pretty sure she wasn't eating French Laundry every night
Here's another I grabbed from @BEH0LDINGEYE called Slices of Time
- 2 separate photographs taken 4 months apart
- hours upon hours spent aligning the two to make this beautiful piece
- 2 separate photographs taken 4 months apart
- hours upon hours spent aligning the two to make this beautiful piece
The point: in NFT photography the shot is the conclusion of your artistic process! Yes you can also say this about all art, but most digital artists do not spend weeks wandering the streets of Paris at 3am capturing the perfect lighting like @mindzeye does 
Or free climbing up bridges and buildings like @DrifterShoots 
Or traveling around the country in an emotional journey to capture twins like @justinaversano 
I'm not saying it's better, but it is different! And that's what makes it beautiful. So what does this mean? I think there are two major implications:
1) the "description" field in any piece is absolutely vital, moreso than anywhere else in NFTs
1) the "description" field in any piece is absolutely vital, moreso than anywhere else in NFTs
2) lumping photography together with digital art on a single platform is stupid
Briefly, in turn:
Briefly, in turn:
1) I believe that any good shot will catch a collector's eye, but the description will sell it. What's a good description? That is up for artistic interpretation, but here's a good one from @brynnalisephoto on Frosted, which I was fortunate enough to purchase today: 
My advice here is as follows:
- before you mint the work, discuss it in a Twitter thread
- before you mint it, spend a LOT of time on the description
- include a link to the Twitter thread in the description so the collector can read even more about the work
- before you mint the work, discuss it in a Twitter thread
- before you mint it, spend a LOT of time on the description
- include a link to the Twitter thread in the description so the collector can read even more about the work
2) I encourage 1/1 platforms like @SuperRare & @foundation to think about #nftphotography differently. For collectors, discovery in 1/1 art is difficult, but it's hardest in photography because of the aforementioned relationship between the work and the process
Lumping together photography with digital art is like mixing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in the same aisle: yeah they're white wines, but the similarities end there.
In sum, Photography is its own genre that is still fighting for its place in NFTs. I have said before that there is no community quite like it here... I get by far the most engagement whenever I buy one
Keep fighting and stay patient! I'm right there with you all 😉✊
Keep fighting and stay patient! I'm right there with you all 😉✊
