Paparazzi

ChrisN

I am looking for opinions from anyone who has experience in or personally knows someone with experience in celebrity photography (otherwise referred to as paparazzi).

First some background on me. I currently live in the central U.S. and have significant prior experience in photojournalism. Currently in this part of the country most community papers have gone to having their reporters double as photographers, which leaves a small number of photographer positions available, mainly with low wages. I have also done portrait and event photography, which can pay ok but again there really isn't enough work around here.

Right now I am contemplating going to California to give celebrity photography a shot. It seems like the only photography area that has good wages and that demand is growing. I would likely work with an agency (and have already talked to one of the major ones). With my background and my overall personality I think I could do well at it. Just for the people wondering I am not talking about being one of those who runs into someone's car or climbs their fence for the shot. Based on what I've read that seems to be the minority (though the ones that get on the news). It would involve candids in public places which may annoy them but I think they can also be done from a comfortable distance. I have done a tremendous amount of web research and talked to the head of an agency. Now I would like to get the opinions of someone who has done it. I am looking for information such as what are the the hours like (do you work 16 hours days or take shifts with other photographers)? What is the pay really like? From what I have read and been told the low end seems to be a few (like 3-5) thousand a month. How tough is the competition? Any other info such as potential pitfalls and what are the pluses of the job?

I want to make an informed decision before I give this a shot. Like I said before I have done lots of online research and am looking for real life experiences why I should or shouldn't try this. If you don't want to post your response here feel free to private message me.

Chris

gus

From what i observe.. i imagine one would have to surrender ever single bit of moral fibre to do it.

JimM

gus wrote:

From what i observe.. i imagine one would have to surrender ever single bit of moral fibre to do it.

WOW, that is harsh!

I don't think it is something I would like to do, but I would say many people in this country are always interested in what the celebs are up to.

Seamus

I watched an interview with Kylie Minogue last night. She said that when she lost her hair during treatment for cancer she was hunted by the paparazzi who wanted a shot of her in that condition.

I couldn't take pride in doing that kind of work.

Stustaff

Seamus wrote:

I watched an interview with Kylie Minogue last night. She said that when she lost her hair during treatment for cancer she was hunted by the paparazzi who wanted a shot of her in that condition.

I couldn't take pride in doing that kind of work.

hmmm just to play devils advocate for a moment...

I could never be a policeman, I have read and seen footage of policemen beating defenceless people badly.

I couldnt take pride in doing that kind of work.

Like anything there are extremes and many Papparazzi are proffesional friendly people who cater to a demand for images of famous people by the public.
Some are horrible horrible people who do anything to get a shot and have very few morals.

Its never good to stereotype people! whether its because of a job they do, the colour they are or where they come from.

DoctorIt

Wow gus, that is harsh! Oh, I know, it must only be like 65 degrees today, right?

So Chris, welcome to dgrin. I don't know of any papparazzi amongst our members, but who knows. I don't necessarily like some of the stuff I see on TV either, but lets all remember, celebrities wouldn't be so celebrated if it wasn't for publicity, be it good or bad. Sounds like Chris wants to be one of the good ones...

Good luck

wxwax

gus wrote:

From what i observe.. i imagine one would have to surrender ever single bit of moral fibre to do it.

What you're not taking into account is how the celebrities use the photogs to keep their profile high.

Sometimes they deliberately tip them about where they'll be, so a photo can appear. Or they'll make a point of stopping in at a well kown place, same reason. This is considered good for their career. It's amazing how many careers are on the knife edge of disappearing into the void of obscurity.

It's the hypocrisy of the "stars' that bugs me. They want to control the process. I say, you dance with the devil...

JimM

wxwax wrote:

What you're not taking into account is how the celebrities use the photogs to keep their profile high.

Sometimes they deliberately tip them about where they'll be, so a photo can appear. Or they'll make a point of stopping in at a well kown place, same reason. This is considered good for their career. It's amazing how many careers are on the knife edge of disappearing into the void of obscurity.

It's the hypocrisy of the "stars' that bugs me. They want to control the process. I say, you dance with the devil...

Very good point!

DavidTO

dgrinner PHOTOlink probably knows a good deal about this...

Seefutlung

As a former press photog in Los Angeles ... I would run into them at many charity events, like a celebrity tennis tourney, golf et cetera. The work they did seemed a lot less appealing to me than photo journalism. And as a group they looked and acted on the unprofessional end of the spectrum. Some worked for an agency and were even credentialed for the event. I remember the Oscars would generate a ton of "freelancers", they had "hobbyist" type equipment and each were drooling and snarling to get a photo pass ... any photo pass ... it was a pain to get by them.

I can't speak of the money. If you are hooked up with a good agency that is capable of securing credentials ... you should be okay photographic wise. Money wise, .. I dunno, just don't see much money because there are so many "freelancers" clammoring for a job ... and the biz seems so cut-throat, it just has to keep the salaries/money low.

This was my experience a few decades ago ... maybe things have changed.

ian408

What Gus said.

I can't imagine what it would take (morally) to hunt someone down for a
photo. Especially when the subject didn't want one taken like say when
they're on a beach just out of 600mm range--it would seem to me they
didn't want photos taken.

On the other hand, if you shoot events where photographers are expected,
have a great time and best of luck to you.

DoctorIt

ian408 wrote:

What Gus said.

I can't imagine what it would take (morally) to hunt someone down for a
photo. Especially when the subject didn't want one taken like say when
they're on a beach just out of 600mm range--it would seem to me they
didn't want photos taken.

On the other hand, if you shoot events where photographers are expected,
have a great time and best of luck to you.

You know, I used to think a lot like you, but I really think what Waxy said is mostly true. You think its a coincidence that a certain star pulls up to get a coffee and there's 18 photographers there? And do you think that some stars staying power is because they are so good?

I don't know, I wouldn't stick up for the moral fiber of hollywood stars so much.

and of course, waxy said it much better than me.

ian408

I'm sure there's a strategy for keeping your photo in all the right places.
Coffee with your new ex-SO is one thing. Shots from a distance in a
place photos are usually frowned upon are quite another.

Seefutlung

wxwax wrote:

What you're not taking into account is how the celebrities use the photogs to keep their profile high.

Sometimes they deliberately tip them about where they'll be, so a photo can appear. Or they'll make a point of stopping in at a well kown place, same reason. This is considered good for their career. It's amazing how many careers are on the knife edge of disappearing into the void of obscurity.

It's the hypocrisy of the "stars' that bugs me. They want to control the process. I say, you dance with the devil...

I agree 100%. There are two sides of the road ... if you desire to make the big bucks through the entertainment biz ... well the flip side is that you will become a public figure and all that is associated with being a public figure.

I agree that it must get annoying, but:
A) An entertainer knows that going into that line of work; and
An entertainer at any time can get out of that line of work.

Most stay in because the $$$ is of greater value than privacy.

I don't feel any sorrow for the entertainer because of statement "B".

DoctorIt

ian408 wrote:

I'm sure there's a strategy for keeping your photo in all the right places.
Coffee with your new ex-SO is one thing. Shots from a distance in a
place photos are usually frowned upon are quite another.

Yeah well, for the amounts of money coming to some of those stars for doing essentially nothing, I'd let people photograph me all day and all night.

mercphoto

DoctorIt wrote:

Yeah well, for the amounts of money coming to some of those stars for doing essentially nothing, I'd let people photograph me all day and all night.

The celebs are as much a problem as the Paparazzi are. They crave the attention but only want it on their terms, under their control. They want staged journalism. Hollywood has to have the most insecure people on the planet.

If you want to blame someone though, don't blame the celebs, don't blame the Paparazzi. Blame the idiots who buy this stuff. Blame the people who buy The Enquirer, the World Weekly News, People Magazine even. If there wasn't a market for it...

wxwax

mercphoto wrote:

The celebs are as much a problem as the Paparazzi are. They crave the attention but only want it on their terms, under their control. They want staged journalism. Hollywood has to have the most insecure people on the planet.

If you want to blame someone though, don't blame the celebs, don't blame the Paparazzi. Blame the idiots who buy this stuff. Blame the people who buy The Enquirer, the World Weekly News, People Magazine even. If there wasn't a market for it...

Oh, I say, now you've gone too far!

Moi? Impossible!

ian408

DoctorIt wrote:

Yeah well, for the amounts of money coming to some of those stars for doing essentially nothing, I'd let people photograph me all day and all night.

Goes to show you the value we place on sports figures and hollywood 'actors'

claudermilk

I think Bill hit the heart of it: it's all the folks (or pick your favorite derogatory term) who eat that junk up. I just don't get it, personally. I'd rather get on with living my own life than watch someone else's.

PHOTOlink

Well, since i have been in the biz for thirty years, and now in my 12th year of owning a celebrity photo agency, i can speak of the money... my nyc shooter two weeks ago got jessica simpson and new boyfriend, rocker john mayer together, and made over 50K just on that one set of 15 frames...
partly because they were good shots, mostly because I ask for (and get) a LOT of money from the editors when i have a set of good shots...!

There is no question there is a dark side, and a tough side to celebrity shooting, but it can be really great too if your heart is in it.....

Adam Scull

Seefutlung wrote:

As a former press photog in Los Angeles ... I would run into them at many charity events, like a celebrity tennis tourney, golf et cetera. The work they did seemed a lot less appealing to me than photo journalism. And as a group they looked and acted on the unprofessional end of the spectrum. Some worked for an agency and were even credentialed for the event. I remember the Oscars would generate a ton of "freelancers", they had "hobbyist" type equipment and each were drooling and snarling to get a photo pass ... any photo pass ... it was a pain to get by them.

I can't speak of the money. If you are hooked up with a good agency that is capable of securing credentials ... you should be okay photographic wise. Money wise, .. I dunno, just don't see much money because there are so many "freelancers" clammoring for a job ... and the biz seems so cut-throat, it just has to keep the salaries/money low.

This was my experience a few decades ago ... maybe things have changed.

Stustaff

PHOTOlink wrote:

Well, since i have been in the biz for thirty years, and now in my 12th year of owning a celebrity photo agency, i can speak of the money... my nyc shooter two weeks ago got jessica simpson and new boyfriend, rocker john mayer together, and made over 50K just on that one set of 15 frames...
partly because they were good shots, mostly because I ask for (and get) a LOT of money from the editors when i have a set of good shots...!

There is no question there is a dark side, and a tough side to celebrity shooting, but it can be really great too if your heart is in it.....

Adam Scull

Can I come work for you!? Thats serious money good work!

Stan

PHOTOlink wrote:

Well, since i have been in the biz for thirty years, and now in my 12th year of owning a celebrity photo agency, i can speak of the money... my nyc shooter two weeks ago got jessica simpson and new boyfriend, rocker john mayer together, and made over 50K just on that one set of 15 frames...
partly because they were good shots, mostly because I ask for (and get) a LOT of money from the editors when i have a set of good shots...!

There is no question there is a dark side, and a tough side to celebrity shooting, but it can be really great too if your heart is in it.....

Adam Scull

Interesting point. If you are willing to take your new beau out in public, either within your own group of friends as a non celebrity or as a celebrity it amounts to the same thing. You are accepting to those who matter that you have a new significant partner in your life. If that is plastered over a front page, it is because people matter to them.

Stan

wxwax

PHOTOlink wrote:

Well, since i have been in the biz for thirty years, and now in my 12th year of owning a celebrity photo agency, i can speak of the money...

Now what the heck made you find this thread six months later?

GeorgeT

I know that there is a special celeb in the building when I leave for the day when I have to walk over these people with cameras crowding the 49th street exit of the building. I get the once over too, wondering if I may be a guest coming out of a show. Little do they know that their target just left the loading dock on the opposite side of the building.
Fun to watch.
GT

Seefutlung

wxwax wrote:

Now what the heck made you find this thread six months later?

Man ... you crack me up ....

-G-