Cath Simard

Cath Simard is a Canadian-born photographer, digital artist and a central figure in the NFT community. One of the most prominent artists in NFT photography, she’s now almost entirely focused on NFTs. Collectors instantly recognize her aesthetic – surreal, cold, blue, mountain nights.

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Through mental and physical exhaustion on her expeditions, in isolated areas, Cath elevates her consciousness and quiets her mind, allowing her to get into a deep flow state that can last days. Depending on the weather and how she feels about a particular location, she may spend days hiking and camping, only to return without taking a single photo. It’s important to Cath to capture each scene and its elements in the way she’s imagined it for her art.

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Cath views and captures the landscape as little pieces of the puzzle, often visiting the same location multiple times. ‘‘I collect little fragments of reality to make it my own.’’ Sometimes she shoots the same scene at different times of day or different years. On other occasions, she combines multiple locations into an image. She recognizes there are questions and misconceptions about composite photography. But it’s a style that came naturally to her even early in her journey as an artist. Through combining elements, her goal is to reflect her experience through her art and to elevate the landscape to match the vision within her imagination.

 

She scouts and conceptualizes her work in advance. Simard also sets aside her photos after shooting – sometimes for months or years. By the time she begins editing, she’s viewing the shots with fresh eyes. This allows her to rediscover the feelings she experienced at a location and convey those feelings through her art. As a result of her process, she releases a limited number of new images annually. Her innovative style and willingness to take bold risks are a result of her desire to be unique and the freedom she enjoys in the backcountry. A self-professed introvert, Cath feels she produces her best work when she’s alone in the mountains.

 

In October 2017, Cath captured a photo of a remote road in Hawaii. It became a viral sensation. The downside? Social media pages, news organizations and websites leveraged Cath’s photo without credit or consent.

 

Having never received a dollar from her most viral image, Cath decided to release the rights to the image under the hashtag #freehawaiiphoto, making it free to use.

Collector @gmoneyNFT purchased the image minted on SuperRare for 100 ETH ($301,894). This watershed moment in the NFT photography community, media rights and photography at large sparked nationwide interest and media coverage.

 

In another example of Simard pushing boundaries in the midst of doubt and criticism, she minted “Le Départ” as part of her genesis NFT collection. Among other things, the piece included a personalized five-day trip in the Canadian Rockies, including a canoe trip to Spirit Island. Unique at the time for the “IRL” experience attached to the NFT, it sold for 30 ETH ($68,554). She also auctioned “Continuum” at Sotheby’s in 2022. Cath was also one of the first renowned NFT photographers to release an edition (“Trillion Star Hotel”). Her other ventures in the NFT community include a unique edition drop on NiftyGateway the A.I.-generated landscape collection Metascapes and fractionalized gallery collaboration FOTO Vault.