The NFT realm has taken the world by storm over the last two years, and I expect that 2022 is going to see some huge strides. Actions speak louder than words, and WOW has there been some action.
You have big names like the NBA and Associated Press jumping in to tokenize their property. Disney released its “Golden Moments” NFT collection, and many speculate it’s just a matter of time before they make a bigger splash.
So what? I’m a photographer, not the Disney CEO.
Well….
- It’s the future of photography.
- A little thing called ROYALTIES.
For the first time ever, anyone can tokenize their digital work and reach a global audience in a matter of minutes. And what’s MORE phenomenal is the idea of royalties. When an NFT creator’s work gets sold over and over again, the artist gets a ROYALTY. Every. Single. Time.
This is gonna lead to a renaissance of photography with these types of incentives.
Do you think Leonardo Da Vinci got a piece of the pie (or tiramisu) every time someone resold his work? The answer is no. No, he did not.
Royalties allow the artist to reinvest in themselves and provide more masterpieces to the world. So I think we’re in for some incredible creativity as the NFT world plays out, and it’s exciting.
So, how can I become an NFT photographer?
Here’s a quick breakdown on how to add an NFT to your photograph:
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Capture your photo
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Choose your blockchain
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Download a digital wallet
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Choose your NFT marketplace
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Mint the NFT
Now, I won’t get into all the nitty and gritty, but if you want to learn more about the process, you can read more here.
Okay, so my photo has an NFT attached. Now what?
Two words: Get marketing.
If the entire world recognizes your photo, then it has VALUE.
Use Twitter to link with like-minded NFT photographers.
Use Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to circulate your work and gain recognition.
Remember, thousands of people can have a duplicate version of your work, but with an NFT only YOU hold the original (until you sell it of course).
My case in point: Check out this photo below. Recognize it?
Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you should. Cath Simard’s photo went viral, so she sold it as an NFT for $300,000, then released the rights to it. Anyone can download it at #FreeHawaiiPhoto.
NFTs provided an opportunity for the photographer, whose photo has been replicated thousands of times without the artist’s approval. She was able to profit off her photograph, while still giving the world access to her work.
And that, in a nutshell, is what NFTs are all about.