Photography: The First Digital Art Movement
At NFC Lisbon 2025, during the panel “Digital Ecosystems for a New Generation of Artists,” Alex Atashkar spotlighted an often-overlooked truth in tech and art circles: photography was the first widely embraced form of digital art. Long before blockchain and NFTs entered the mainstream, photographers were already pioneers in digital creation.
Atashkar argued that this early transition gives photography a natural advantage in the Web3 era. While photographs freeze moments in time, blockchain technology gives those moments permanence—anchoring them in authenticity, ownership, and security. It's this interplay of the ephemeral and the immutable, he explained, that positions photography uniquely within the digital transformation.
He emphasized how blockchain finally delivers what the digital age never could: verified ownership for photographers. In a world where digital images are easily copied and credited to no one, the ability to assign undeniable authorship on-chain marks a significant power shift—one that returns rights and royalties to the creators themselves. It’s a major rebalancing in an ecosystem that has historically prioritized platforms over artists.
Facing Resistance in the Early Web3 Days
Reflecting on the inception of SEED.Photo, Atashkar candidly recalled the initial challenges. When the platform launched three years ago, the blockchain space was saturated with hype—focused on speculation, tokens, and fast profits. The concept of using NFTs for fine art and photography was widely dismissed or ignored.
Despite skepticism, Atashkar and his team pressed forward. They engaged with global communities, collaborated with artists and developers, and continued to advocate for photography’s rightful place in the decentralized art world. This steady, values-driven approach laid the foundation for SEED.Photo’s emergence as a respected platform for photographic integrity and digital preservation.
From the Margins to the Main Stage
What was once a bold vision has become an undeniable trend. As Atashkar noted, photographers are now key players in the NFT ecosystem, with a strong presence at events like NFC Lisbon 2025. This year, not only are photographers participating—they’re being celebrated.
The shift, he said, validates what he believed all along: photography is not just compatible with Web3, it’s essential to it. Beyond creating content, photographers are increasingly shaping digital culture and the future of decentralized ownership. Atashkar foresees deeper integration between blockchain systems and visual storytelling, opening up transformative ways for photographic art to be created, distributed, and preserved.
Prioritizing Infrastructure Over Hype
Looking ahead, Atashkar stressed the need to move beyond momentary excitement and toward long-term infrastructure for digital artists. While interest in NFTs has skyrocketed, many creators still face critical challenges: complex onboarding, limited monetization paths, and a lack of platforms built with their needs in mind.
To meet these demands, SEED.Photo is expanding its ecosystem—offering educational tools, simplified onboarding, and curated collections tailored to empower digital photographers. These initiatives, Atashkar believes, are crucial for ensuring the sustainable growth of art within the Web3 space.
For him, the mission transcends technology. It’s about culture, equity, and reclaiming the digital narrative. He closed the panel with a powerful reminder: photography should no longer be treated as an afterthought in the tech world—it is a driving force in this new creative era. With its deep digital roots and increasing relevance on the blockchain, photography is poised to shape how the next generation engages with, experiences, and values art online.
