Instagram influencer forced to defend 'photo shoot' of motorbike accident
An Instagram influencer has denied staging a motorcycle crash after sharing pictures of the incident that included what some people believed to be a water brand product placement.
Three weeks ago lifestyle blogger Tiffany Mitchell shared a series of photographs of the aftermath of a collision.
In one of the of pictures, taken by a friend, the influencer can be seen lying on the ground with a bottle of SmartWater beside her. The now-removed image prompted some people to accuse the Nashville woman of staging an accident for a product placement sponsorship opportunity.
The backlash forced Ms Mitchell to defend her decision to share those pictures by releasing a lengthy video statement and Instagram post on Monday.
She explained she has since removed the crash picture due to the negative comments it generated.
“When I found out my professional photographer friend who I’d been shooting with earlier took photos of everything, I was completely moved,” she said.
“I shared this on my feed with humans who have been on a journey with me for years because I knew they would understand what it meant to me and I understood what it would mean to them... That’s what it was intended for.”
Ms Mitchell said previous media coverage was “sensationalising” her accident and she appeared upset over accusations of a “staged” photo shoot.
“I’ve been sharing real life stories here since I started my account,” she wrote.
“I’ve opened up about miscarriage, divorce, anxiety, losing my partner in a moto accident 3 years ago, and navigating the grief that followed.
“I’ve chosen to use Instagram as a tool for healing and connecting with other humans who may be going through similar things so we can do it together. And it’s been beautiful,” she wrote.
An Instagram picture from June shows Ms Mitchell holding a Bai tea bottle atop a stationary bike, with the company tagged in a post.
The influencer said she disclosed each brand sponsorship she received, and she was not paid by the water company for placement in the crash pics.
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