Alex Atashkar: Bridging Traditional Photography and Web3 at NFC Lisbon 2025

Photography as the Original Digital Medium

At the “Digital Ecosystems for a New Generation of Artists” panel at NFC Lisbon 2025, Alex Atashkar highlighted an often-overlooked fact: photography was the first digital art form to achieve widespread use. Long before blockchain or NFTs entered the conversation, photographers were already working in a digitized creative space. According to Alex, this foundational role makes photography uniquely suited for Web3 innovation. He argued that while photographs capture transient moments, connecting them to blockchain can make those moments permanent, verifiable, and securely owned. This bridge between the ephemeral and the immutable, he noted, lies at the heart of photography’s transformation in the digital era.

Alex Atashkar pointed out that blockchain gives photographers something they’ve long lacked in the digital space—clear, traceable ownership. He explained how this is critical for artists whose work is often shared, reposted, and used without proper attribution or compensation. By placing digital images on-chain, artists can protect their work from misuse and establish a clear record of creation and ownership, giving them more agency in an environment that historically favored platforms over creators.

Overcoming Initial Resistance

In discussing the early days of SEED.Photo, Alex Atashkar was candid about the obstacles his team faced. When the platform launched three years ago, the focus of the crypto space was overwhelmingly skewed toward speculation—especially Bitcoin, Ethereum, and ICOs. There was little interest in photography or the idea of NFTs being used for fine art. Atashkar recalled that the concept of using blockchain to preserve artistic integrity was, at the time, met with indifference or skepticism.

Despite this early resistance, Alex and his team remained committed. He spoke of attending numerous conferences and events to raise awareness and educate artists, collectors, and technologists about photography’s potential within Web3. This groundwork laid the foundation for what is now a fast-growing segment of the NFT art world. Through consistent advocacy and platform development, SEED.Photo gained recognition as a serious player in digital art preservation.

Rapid Shift in Artist Participation

Today, the shift Alex Atashkar once predicted is fully underway. He pointed out how photographers have become highly visible participants in Web3 art platforms, including those featured at NFC Lisbon 2025. In the event's artist category, photographers now rank among the most prominent and valued contributors—a marked change from just a year ago. Atashkar sees this evolution as not only validating his early efforts but also as a sign that the traditional boundaries between analog and digital art are finally dissolving.

He believes that photography’s rapid adoption of blockchain is creating new standards for digital ownership and artist visibility. According to Alex Atashkar, this transition is enabling photographers to step beyond limited roles as content providers and instead become central figures in shaping the cultural and technological discourse of Web3. Looking ahead, he anticipates even deeper integration between photography and blockchain systems, ultimately redefining how visual art is created, collected, and preserved.

Looking Ahead: From Advocacy to Infrastructure

Building on this momentum, Alex Atashkar emphasized that the focus now must shift from early advocacy to building reliable infrastructure for digital artists. He explained that while exposure and enthusiasm have increased, many creators still lack easy onboarding, fair monetization options, and trusted marketplaces tailored to their needs. That’s why SEED.Photo continues to expand its ecosystem—through initiatives like education, simplified access, and professional curation—to support photographers at every stage of their Web3 journey.

For Alex Atashkar, this is more than a technological shift—it’s a cultural mission. He closed the panel by urging both artists and collectors to see photography not as secondary to other digital art forms, but as a leading force in shaping the next phase of artistic and creative ecosystems. With photography’s historical digital roots and its increasing blockchain relevance, Alex envisions a future where it plays a central role in how the world sees and values art online.