CanBRUH Influencer or Canberran With Influence
The perceived power of clicks and views
Ok, this blog is a for real blog about a tough conversation (not really) but an important conversation about creatives and creative work in Canberra the “Capital of Art in Australia”
An article published by the canberra times titled “Why the ACT Gov paying influencers to make instagram posts about the city” really caught my attention.
Winter In The City, Genuinely, I think it’s a great event as we’ve been lacking in the winter events in canberra simply because its 1) Canberra and 2) It’s cold and I want to stay inside and eat nachos and watch the footy.
After reading the article and seeing that this was the similar event I attended, I was kind of shocked but not really shocked at what has occurred in that some people were paid to promote these events.
Firstly, well done for securing a pay packet, secondly, where’s mine?
I believe anyone who’s creating content on behalf of someone should absolutely be paid because exposure unfortunately won’t feed my kids.
But at the same time, those with what is perceived as “influencer status” should and more than likely do disclose that they are actually being paid for this to be promoted.
It’s just amazing what people will ask for just for a few views and clicks (Yes, I’ve been asked plenty to promote products and businesses, but that’s not really what I’m about,)
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“I don’t see myself as an influencer, but a person of influence, and that is why I do what I do. If it’s genuine and for a good cause, I’m more than happy to attend and show off something to help out.”
The Value Paradox
As a photographer and a content creator, there have been plenty of times where I’ve been asked to share imagery or posts for free and in some circumstances I’m more than happy to because (I don’t mean for this to sound like a brag) but I do try to be genuine and nice and supportive. And If I can’t I explain why.
But for the post part, the views and exposure you get in exchange for a service is good for some, but for me, I know my worth and value, but I also have a family I need to feed and in my world, that is the #1 priority.
Here's where things get a bit mental though. The same businesses/services that I'm encouraged to support by spending my hard-earned cash are often the ones hitting me up for freebies. Last month alone I had three different people offering services for exposure and that’s totally fine I get it, and I’m quiet upfront to say that I either don’t do it, I can do it at a charge, or I just don’t have the time. (And I often follow them to support their local business after our conversations :) )
But there’s still this weird tension with how creative work is perceived in that when you mention anything of a quote or invoice, you suddenly get ghosted like your last date in the city.
This creates a proper mess. Creatives who can't afford to work for free either leave town or leave the industry altogether. The ones who stay often struggle financially, and we end up with a creative brain drain that makes our "arts capital" status feel more like wishful thinking than reality.
The Bigger Picture
The reality is businesses and especially canberra businesses are doing it tough right now.
Hospitality especially seems to be affected and not to mention the ones dealing with the tram construction (I’ve already addressed this with a cheeky AI song)
My big picture is that I’m %100 for being paid to do exposure creative work, but I’m also %100 for the local business / person and am more than
happy to jump in if I think its appropriate to and I have the time.
Please know that If we knock back an offer, It’s not that we don’t like what you’re offering - It’s just we as creatives genuinely value our work and what we do and thus should be recognised for that.
This isn't just about money (though let's be honest, money matters when you've got mouths to feed). It's about respect. It's about understanding that the person behind the camera or the keyboard has invested years developing their skills, thousands in equipment, and ongoing costs for insurance, software, and business overheads.
Where to from here?
I'm not having a whinge here (well, maybe a little bit), but this is bigger than just photographers getting paid. If Canberra wants to maintain its reputation as Australia's arts capital, we need to start actually valuing our creatives properly.
For businesses: if you want professional creative work, budget for it. If you can't afford it, be upfront about that rather than trying to convince creatives that exposure pays the bills. And if you genuinely want to support local talent, put your money where your mouth is.
For creatives: know your worth and stick to it. Every time we work for free, we're not just undervaluing ourselves - we're making it harder for the next creative to charge properly. It's ok to be selective about when you donate your time and skills.
For everyone else: understand that supporting local businesses means supporting all local businesses, including creative ones. When you see quality content promoting local spots, remember there's probably a professional behind it who deserves to be compensated for their work.
The Winter in the City event was brilliant, and I genuinely loved being there to support local businesses and document something great happening in our city. But let's make sure we're supporting all the talent that makes these events special - including the ones behind the cameras and keyboards who help tell these stories.
Because at the end of the day, exposure doesn't feed families, pay mortgages, or keep the lights on. But fair compensation for quality work? That's how we build a creative community worth celebrating.
And that's how we make Canberra's "arts capital" status something more than just a nice hashtag on a tourism brochure.
This blog contains summarised thoughts and assisted writing with AI