Cath shares her digital ownership journey at Xposure

January 31, 2026 / 8:43 PM

Sharjah 24: During her presentation titled "Between Reality and Imagination: The Wilderness Within" at Xposure International Photography Festival, Cath Simard discussed the concept of photography NFTs. She explained that an NFT, or non-fungible token, serves as a digital certificate of ownership for a photograph. This means that even though digital images can be copied easily, NFTs make them unique collectibles that belong to specific people.

Cath Simard is a talented photographer and digital artist from Canada, renowned for her imaginative and dreamlike landscape images that mix real life with fantasy. Her artwork often features cool colors, soft, otherworldly light, and stunning mountain scenes.

NFTs allow artists to establish original ownership rights and create new revenue streams, including earnings from future resales. NFTs can include one-of-a-kind images, limited editions, or animated visuals.

Speaking to “Sharjah 24,” Simard explained that owning an NFT doesn't necessarily mean it's the only original piece. However, it does use technology to make the artwork more unique. Artists can combine different images, add new layers, or even make the art interactive, which gives it a special quality and sets it apart from other artworks.

Traditionally, protecting an artist's work involves legal systems and copyright, which isn't always connected to NFTs. However, Simard made an interesting choice with one of her pieces called “FreeHawaiiPhoto.” She decided to allow anyone in the world to use it freely, offering it under an open license.