The Exposure Scam: Why Your "Likes" Don't Pay My Toronto Rent

Introduction

The "exposure" pitch is the ultimate insult to a professional’s intelligence. It assumes that I am a hobbyist hungry for validation rather than a business owner with a bottom line. In 2026, with Toronto’s average one-bedroom rent hovering near $2,200 and a 3-bedroom apartment hitting $3,000+, "likes" are a worthless currency. If you aren't paying in CAD, you aren't a client—you're a solicitor.

Exposure Doesn't Scale

The logic of the exposure discount is fundamentally flawed. If I shoot for you for free, and your "massive audience" sees the work, all it does is attract more people who also want to pay me in exposure. You are asking me to work for the privilege of being asked to work for free again. It is a feedback loop of poverty. Exposure only has value if it leads to paid work; if the source of the exposure refuses to pay, they are effectively devaluing the very service they claim is worth seeing.

The $3,000 Rent Reality

I live in Toronto. My landlord, my grocer, and my internet provider do not have a portal for "Instagram engagement." To maintain a professional presence in the GTA, my business requires a minimum monthly revenue just to break even. When you ask for a discount for "exposure," you are asking me to subsidize your project with my rent money. I am a photographer, not a patron of the arts for corporations or influencers who can't find room in their budget for labor.

The Hidden Costs of a "Free" Shoot

There is no such thing as a free photoshoot. Every time I click the shutter, I am consuming the finite lifespan of a $4,000 camera body. I am using $150 memory cards, $2,000 lenses, and a $3,000 editing workstation. I am paying for liability insurance, transport, and software subscriptions. A "free" shoot actually costs me money in depreciation and overhead. Asking me to pay out of pocket to photograph you is a level of entitlement that borders on the delusional.

You Can’t Eat a Follower Count

In 2026, the "influencer" economy has matured enough that we all know the truth: follower counts are often inflated, and engagement is a fickle metric. Even if you have 100k followers, the "exposure" you provide is a fleeting blip in a crowded feed. It does not provide the long term stability required to run a studio. Real businesses pay their vendors. If you can afford the $18 cocktails and the designer wardrobe for the shoot, you can afford the photographer.

The Professional Boundary

When you pay for a service, you have a contract, a timeline, and a guarantee of quality. When you "pay" in exposure, the professional incentive vanishes. You are effectively asking for a favor, and favors don't come with 48-hour turnarounds or high end retouching. If you want a professional result, treat the transaction with professional respect. Anything else is just a hobbyist’s ego trip.

Final Thoughts

Stop trying to trade clout for craft. If you value the work enough to want it, value the artist enough to pay them. "Exposure" is what people die of in the Canadian wilderness; it is not a business model. If your budget is zero, your expectation for my time should also be zero. My landlord accepts bank transfers, not tags.