Look Out! It?s the Dreaded Paparazzi

Ok, let?s face it, the very mention of the word ?Paparazzi? brings to mind images of celebrities in the tabloids, usually caught in the act of something unspeakable. But paparazzi are merely freelance photographers who happen to pursue unique candid photos of celebrities. Their actions are typically criticized since they do go to extreme lengths to get their photographs. And at times, these photographers may cross the line; anywhere celebrities are found the paparazzi are not far behind.

The term ?paparazzi? actually comes from a character in the 1960 Fellini film ?La Dolce Vita.? Signor Paparazzo is a photographer who constantly quests for the next big picture. His tactics were similar to those of modern-day freelance celebrity photographers, who came to be known as paparazzi. A single photographer is known as a paparazzo, but it is rare to see one photographer alone. They often follow each other in the hopes of being lead to a great celebrity shot.

The media often pays a high price for unique celebrity photos, especially those shot in candid or vulnerable moments. Most celebrities struggle with the paparazzi, constantly irritated by the trail of photographers following them at every turn. Some of them feel that they are constantly on display, and the paparazzi have been known to provoke celebrities to get compromising photographs, even crashing private events or breaking onto private properties in their pursuit of photographs that will sell to the highest bidder.

Advanced photography knowledge and techniques are necessary to obtain candid photos of celebrities. The telephoto lens is one must-have; paparazzi may also use hidden cameras and other sneaky techniques to get shots of those who may not even be aware that they are being observed. Competition among paparazzi can be fierce, each one wanting photographs which have not been captured by anyone else.

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