Thread by @lightchronicler

Documentary photography in the NFT space. The musings of a lifelong photographer or what the heck am I doing here? An illustrated thread in 12 parts. Thanks for taking the time to read.1/12 #nftphotography #nftphotographers #nftart

As a documentary photographer my position towards the NFT space is one of an uneasy truce. Coming from a tradition deeply rooted in the in-depth exploration of people, cultures and events, the digital world has always seemed somewhat superficial. 2/12

Separation is baked into the digital realm. That is one of the greatest paradoxes of an ever growing digital network. I call it connected isolation. We choose what to reveal, what to hide, which identity to play. What has always attracted me to docu is its directness. 3/12

Being witness to other people’s lives, often times in moments of disarming honesty, when emotions have chipped away the masks and the pretensions, is one of the greatest gifts photography has bestowed on me. Those are the moments I live for. 4/12

“The felt presence of immediate experience-- this is all you know. Everything else comes as unconfirmed rumor.” Terence McKenna poignantly said. I’ve been going after the “immediate experience” and photography has been my preferred vehicle for many decades. 5/12

I have been fortunate to be able to produce a few books of my work. These sustained a lifestyle of travel to far flung places, interacting with people and cultures, making the world, in my own way, a little bit smaller, less hostile perhaps, and my outlook more humble. 6/12

Ultimately that’s the “raison d’etre” of my photography, of “art” in general imho. It’s not that the world needs changing, perhaps it does, though beware of those who are certain of what it needs changing into. I think art can be a catalyzer for a collective rise of empathy. 7/12

That’s where I see docu in the NFT space. A reminder of our shared humanity. A visionary collector could make a huge impact on the viability of the genre in the digital age. Just imagine that. A modern day Edward Steichen creating a modern version of The Family of Man. 8/12

Steichen described his project as “a mirror of the essential oneness of mankind throughout the world.” I’m aware that documentary photog. is not (yet) very popular with collectors in this space. Too direct, too much in your face, too confrontational perhaps. 9/12

Sometimes it seems we’re busy plotting future worlds but know very little of our own. We talk about community but have it mediated via a screen. Are we afraid to get up close and personal? It’s important to water the soil we ultimately all have our roots in. 10/12

So I keep doing what I’m doing. And it’s really good to see the efforts of the young(er) guns in the docu genre, @streetleitzph, @alexandruchitu_, @crystaldstreet, @StrawCrypto @KumasRizacan and many others. Don’t despair, what you’re doing is important and meaningful. 11/12

Thanks for making it till here. Would love to hear other opinions. I’ll do another illustrated thread about my latest book soon. Don’t forget to Live a Life of Wonder. And give the words of Hunter S Thompson some thought. 12/12