Visionary Photographer Transforms into Emerging NFT Photographer

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I’m kidding, I’m still just a regular photographer who sometimes makes my work available to collect as a digital edition. That’s it, there is no NFT Photographer. There is only Photographer and the big wide world of Web 3.

As for a visionary, well, I do have a vision. I might be emerging although it sometimes feels like I’m submerging. Either way, you are here.

Thanks for dropping by.

So, let me tell you one photographer’s tale in the NFT space. That’s me, my tale.

This is not about a linear journey. It can’t be. You see, the NFT space is such that it keeps you moving, guessing, and wondering what your next move should be.

When I first joined the NFT space I did so because I had an idea. My idea was simple. I didn’t want to do any more photography sessions that I wasn’t completely into.

I didn’t want to shoot group photos or senior photos.

I didn’t want to shoot kid photos.

Basically, I didn’t want to shoot for you. I wanted to do it for myself.

“Always remember to make room to shoot what you love. It's the only way to keep your heart beating as a photographer.” – Joe McNally Share on X

The NFT space offers the freedom to shoot what you love

The NFT space seemed like the one place I could follow my own passion and photograph the things I love to shoot.

I could create the photographs I wanted to create and if anyone identified with that work, they could collect it.

This is why the NFT space intrigued me. It seemed like freedom to express myself, freedom to be the photographer I wanted to be.

Of course, I was hoping to make some money too because that is the only reason I ever accepted some photography gigs. I wanted to upgrade my gear and photography gear is not cheap.

Photographers, I know you can relate!

So, I jumped in.

Below is my first NFT on H=N. 178 editions because I joined during an event called #objkt4objkt, basically an art swap. You can still collect it on OBJKT for 1.5xtz at the time of me writing this.

Jumping Into NFTs in the Spring of 2021

Sure, the world was ending with the pandemic but for me, the world was also just starting. The World of NFTs.

It’s been a thing of mine to confront big life obstacles with a huge learning distraction. I knew very little about Crypto, but I did buy some Dogecoin at one point. That was the extent of my Crypto journey.

Now, I can’t say I was super successful in this new world. I mean, hell, maybe you don’t even know who I am. You probably don’t know who I am. After all, I’m just a guy.

A quiet guy who doesn’t really mingle in those Twitter spaces, etc. But I should.

A guy that is sort of shy and probably has imposter syndrome, a confidence problem, maybe some perfectionism, self-worth issues, and probably a lot of other syndromes.

If it’s a syndrome of not achieving your full potential, then I have it!

I’m also someone who overthinks everything and does too much. I have collections that have complete storylines…..ongoing!

See Here: The Glitch Dreams Rave Story

Collect Here: Glitch Dreams Rave Collection

And let’s be honest, I’m probably truly the only one who knows or even cares about any of it.

I think too much, I do too much, and at the same time, I feel like I do nothing at all. Nothing that really adds up I mean.

Sometimes I feel like I am working on different math problems, all at the same time, but never actually completing one.

However, a lot of my ideas are predicated on sales so when the sales don’t come, my ideas stall on the side of the road.

See, it’s totally your fault!

No, I kid. But if you want to check out my NFT Collections I wouldn’t hate you for it.

Homemade Link Tree Just for You: https://www.seeimagery.com/link-tree/

Anyway, when the next car comes by, all dressed up like a brand new idea, I think, should I just jump in?

But what about this old idea stalled on the side of the road? Can I just leave it? I feel bad because a few people have already lent me their gas money. They thought for sure it could go all the way.

Or maybe they just thought, I like this guy. Hope he makes it.

OK, where was I? Oh yeah, my NFT Journey. Now, despite never finding much success as a photographer I have fumbled my way forward into profits.

Yes, me, of all people!

Can You Make Money in NFTs?

It was the summer of 21, OK, maybe we were moving into fall but people were throwing lots of money around at seemingly, anything and everything.

Of course, I was moving at my normal slow pace. You know, I wanted to make sure I proceeded carefully so I would definitely miss the boat.

Wait, what?

OK, anyway, I was moving slowly but I did manage to do one thing right. That’s the thing, you can do so many things in the NFT space. One of them could work out.

I entered this Photography Contest.

AND I WON

Yes, I of all people won. The prize was a highly sought-after mint pass to the first drop of another photography project. Now, I didn’t really talk to any of these people from the project. I didn’t know them great.

They were sort of bigger names in the space. Names that for some reason I didn’t feel good enough to be friends with so I didn’t really try.

You know, they were like the cool kids.

I never really talk to the cool kids. The people who get on spaces and talk freely while others like myself, just sit in the audience and listen.

Yes, I know I have issues but I’ve decided to be as honest and truthful in this post as possible.

If you are here reading it still, thank you, we are friends.

So anyway, yes, I won!

But there was a Problem.

I had next to 0 ETH, I mean the bare minimum. The little I did have I used to mint a few pieces and nobody had collected from me.

If I couldn’t use the mint pass, it was worthless because I couldn’t buy the art.

Well, that’s what I thought until I noticed people were actually selling the mint pass on OpenSea for like 3 ETH.

Yes, now at this time ETH was approaching all-time highs so 3 ETH was at least 12k USD.

So I sold my Mint Pass.

I’m not going to lie, it felt a little dirty or something. Like I was trading art for cash but honestly, I wasn’t going to be able to use it anyhow.

In the end, I negotiated with myself and came to the realization that no, I was not trading art for cash. I was trading art for art.

You see, I used the money to upgrade my old camera and got a new body. I also used the money to collect some art from others and also mint more of my own work.

Minting on the Ethereum blockchain is expensive, especially back then. Gas was astronomical at the time.

Which brings me to today and more importantly I guess, a question.

Can Photographers Make Money by Selling their work as NFTs?

Here is a similar question. Can you make money selling a physical print of your photography right now?

Because truthfully, this is where we are at. It’s just another market for selling your work.

Instead of selling a physical edition you are selling a digital edition, but all the same factors apply like, you’re going to need an audience, fans of your work.

You’re going to have to work at building a network of supporters and fans.

What I’m saying to you is this.

NFTs are not a magic place where anything sells. Maybe it felt that way in 2021 but today NFTs are living by the same formula of most of your artistic endeavors.

Formula: Ambition > Talent

If you remember my post, Is Fear Holding you back? 6 Useless Beliefs, then you remember I said this.

A lot of people are successfully doing the thing it is you want to do but they are doing it with less skill, talent and even qualifications.

Why? Because Ambition trumps talent almost every single time.

If you have the ambition and drive to market, network, and build an audience around your work than yes, you can still sell your work as an NFT.

It’s true, I’m not one of those artists dropping their work and selling out immediately.

I have to push it, finesse it, and coax it out the door and into the hands of a collector. I hope they like it. Don’t collect it if you don’t like it!

Collect what you love! Always.

That is another thing about the NFT world. Eventually, you will turn into a collector, a supporter of your fellow artists and photographers. It’s hard not to.

Almost all the profit I have made selling my own work has gone back into collecting art and photography in the community.

I’m not saying this is the way, it’s just been my way.

But honestly, it’s a struggle to be there sometimes! Just when I start to climb a little, my own self-doubts and fears seem to creep in, and I let go.

Yes, I struggle with these things too! I’m not just handing out hard truths, I’m living them every single day.

Sometimes I feel great. Sometimes I feel at the bottom.

I’m not sure why. Sometimes I feel OK down here at the bottom. I mean, it’s fine, I would be doing the photography anyway.

Perhaps it is the old cliché, fear of success.

You know, what does success look like? Do the eyes of many anticipating and expecting something from me look like success or does it look like a threat to my current way of living?

I need to poke at this question a little more to really understand. What do I want out of photography, out of art, out of my passions?

Maybe it’s a question you’ve asked yourself.

Final Thoughts About NFTs and NFT Photographers

So, what’s the takeaway of this post anyway? Yes, this is my journey in the NFT space but so what?

I guess it is this. To simply remind you and myself, that success is not always linear or conventional.

Success is realizing that regardless of sales, you were going to do the art or take the photos anyway because you’re an artist or photographer but not an NFT Artist or Photographer. Right?

Sucess is embracing the uncertainty and just saying yes to opportunities. It’s about forging your path, one step at a time, and seeing where that leads you.

Success is simply taking action regardless of the outcome. Don’t spend too much time thinking about where you want to go. Just start walking.

One day, when you look back you will realize who you were and where you were headed all along.

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Kindred Frames

Showcasing photography and artwork from other artists in the community that align with this posts theme. For me, that theme is the journey.

Sometimes it’s chaotic. It’s almost never linear or conventional but once you start walking, action will deliver you to where you need to be. Support independent creators and expand your collection. Discover and Collect Below

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