The Digital Paparazzi - Essay
Looking at how the advance in to digital technology is transforming the nature of media and the way the paparazzi now operate.
On Tuesday 13th June 2007.at 7pm, in New York, Huge crowds have gathered around a red carpet at the Seigfeld Theatre, many hours before the premiere of the eagerly awaited film ‘A Mighty Heart’ is due to take place. Rumors are circulating amongst the general public and members of the media about which celebrities will attend this important event.
The hundreds of fans are hoping to glimpse the star of the film, Angelina Jolie, accompanied by her equally famous partner, Brad Pitt. For the professional media this is just part of their work. Also present are freelance photographers hoping to profit from the spectacle. As I wait, propped against the steel crowd control barriers at the side of the road, I am approached by several members of the public who presume that I know which celebrities will be arriving shortly. This is because they can see that I am carrying a professional level camera and assume that I must therefore be part of the paparazzi, photographers who come to film the rich and famous at such events.
Respected, professional members of the media are being admitted, under careful scrutiny, to the secure area reserved for them overlooking the Red Carpet, where shortly, the celebrities will parade and pose for them. As I wait, I am joined by an amateur film crew who ask which magazine I represent. I reply, that like them, I am just here to experience the atmosphere and hype surrounding the premiere.
Neighboring spectators expertly name the minor celebrities as they arrive in smart limos and chauffeur-driven cars. Each time a car draws near, the photographers point their cameras at the closed doors and shaded windows which hide the identities of their passengers, hoping to capture as many images as possible once they open, and the celebrities inside reveal themselves to the media and the public. Suddenly, all attention shifts to a large SUV which stops just 10 metres to the left of where I am standing. Whispers circulate that Angelina and Brad have arrived. Moments later, the doors open and confirm that this is indeed so, together with half a dozen bodyguards!
As the famous couple greet the crowd, slowly moving ever closer towards me, I start to take pictures but am taken by surprise when the 2 celebrities pass swiftly by me and the amateur camera crew. The reason for this sudden acceleration becomes immediately apparent as to the right of me, several cameras have suddenly appeared accompanied by a string of loud comments probing the private life of this couple – “Angelina, you,ve lost weight. Anything wrong?” – “Brad, how’s Jennifer?” (this refers to Pitt’s ex-partner Jennifer Anniston).
The more experienced star-watcher besides me observes “the paps will do anything to cause a reaction which can then be captured for all to see”. I then realize that the cameras belong to the free-lance photographers who hope to capture images which they can sell to the celebrity magazines and other interested journals. This is why Angelina and Brad hastily pass me by as they approach the Red Carpet. They now stop and pose for the more professional members of the media who have waited patiently and respectfully in their secure area for the stars to come. They politely and quietly call out only the first names of the film-stars in order to attract their attention. The stars trust them and respond accordingly. I swiftly switch to a more powerful tele-focus lens and to my surprise, the dark conditions have very little effect as the light coming from the many photographers’ flashes means that the couple are almost constantly illuminated.
No more than 10 minutes since the celebrity couple greeted the crowd and posed for the cameras, they are escorted into the theatre and the team of professional photographers in the secure area can be seen urgently transmitting their photos wirelessly back to the various companies who employ them.
The freelance paparazzos’ now focus their attention on the other lesser celebrities that have now arrived on the red carpet. Other paperatos are now on mobile phones, working their way to cars, ready to move on to the next photo-opportunity. The most popular target seems to be Jessica Alba who is due to arrive soon at Saturday Night Live Studios.
The paparazzi have not only been a willing tool of the media tonight, but also of the stars, their managers and the film producers. Their images can have a vital effect on the careers of these film stars, the success of the films they appear in and therefore their fame and fortune. However, the paparazzi have changed greatly over the last decade. These same people who contribute significantly to launching and maintaining the careers of such stars can also be partly responsible for damaging their personal and professional lives.
Photo-journalism was once considered to be a respectable profession that would record and capture current media stories and global event However, this view has changed for the worse over recent years. The industry is now seen for the most as an amoral and disreputable rat-pack with few exceptions. Why has this happened?
The number of people now training to be professional photographers has grown dramatically. Recent figures suggest that in Los Angeles alone, there are 300 such freelance photographers daily hunting their celebrity prey, a tenfold rise over that of 15 years previously. A substantial percentage of these will progress to the ranks of the paparazzi resulting in fierce competition between them. It is little surprise then that many are finding new, dubious ways to obtain profitable photos. Their standards and morals are dropping to an all time low as a result. [ Information obtained from CBC, 2007]
This explosion in paparazzi numbers and the associated lowering of professional standards can be traced to the digital camera revolution of the early 1990s, which has witnessed the development, emergence and availability of these affordable, slick, technically sophisticated tools of ‘photography’. The modern paparazzi was clearly visible at work at tonight’s premiere of ‘A Mighty Heart’ as were some of their more questionable working practices. Not one of them were using anything other than one of the top 3 digital Nikon or Canon technologies, with which it is very easy to take a shot which becomes a profitable photo. [ Information obtained from Guardian, 2007]
Since the move to digital sensors, there are few costs for consumables and there is little need for photographers to be precious about taking photos. With the newest Nikon cameras boasting 8 pictures per second it is hard to miss the moment. The typical freelance photographer is required to do little more than point the camera and hold the shutter button. Unlike traditional 35mm cameras the quantity of photos that can be stored within the camera is rarely exceeded. [ Information obtained from Nikon, 2007]
The film technology found in traditional cameras rendered original photography an art-form which required extraordinary skill, especially when working at speed, Film development also demanded great patience and dexterity. Therefore, the early paparazzo worked mostly as part of a team at a newspaper office. Photographs were not instant In those days so they would appear on the desk of the editor the next morning in a brown envelope after someone had painstakingly developed them by hand. Because of the complexity of the photographic process at that time, the images were therefore far more valuable.
Recent pictures of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been rumored to have fetched up to $500,000. Therefore, it is no surprise that the appearance of these Hollywood superstars in New York attracted a large crowd of free-lancers. However, the fact is that the Red Carpet is no longer the place to make such vast sums of money. With so many people taking so many photos, they would be lucky to get any more than $75 - $200 for such common photos. [ Information obtained from CBC, 2007a]
The sought after photos are the ones that the celebrities would much prefer you did not see, and those that the paparazzi now have to work really hard to get. The more exclusive and private the shot the greater the price that can be demanded. It is now common to see bidding wars between magazines to get unique images to accompany their exclusive stories.
The photo of Brad and Angelina which was worth $500,000 was taken whilst they were enjoying a private family beach holiday. Bodyguards. bouncers and personal assistants are becoming invaluable assets to the paparazzi and will demand around 10% of the final selling cost of the photo, for information that helps the photographer in the pursuit of photo-opportunities of these increasingly secretive stars. [ Information obtained from CBC, 2007b]
Our interest in negative media and gossip is clearly seen with the launch of so many glossy gossip magazines that are filled with photos showing celebrities doing anything from their daily activities to more serious moments of weakness and personal crisis. These magazines are becoming increasingly popular and unlike the magazines of 10 years ago they are not afraid to fill the front page with images of intimacy and photos that probe the previously confidential areas of celebrities private life’s including their kids, holiday plans, latest relationships, drug addiction, nights out, etc. Articles frequently featured in these magazines may focus on who is suspected to have eating disorders, who has had plastic surgery or who is now pregnant…
It is also apparent that the general public are also taking on the rat race mentality and moral standards of the papparazzi. With so many of us now carrying small point and shoot camera to camera phones, a change sighting of a celebrity can now get you a nice financial reward for that photo. Agencies such as X17 claim to process approximately 4000 photos each day from members of the public who are therefore competing ever more with the paparazzi. [ Information obtained from Guardian, 2007a]
The new technologies produce instant ready to use images in the milliseconds it takes to click the shutter that can be transmitted from the camera direct to a mobile phone and then to magazines and newspaper companies throughout the world.
Digital technology has therefore allowed greater numbers of less skilful photographers to enter the ranks of the paparazzi. More and more frequently, newspapers and glossy magazines contain badly taken pixilated images of celebrities captured going about their daily lives. With so many people carrying a camera, whether a simple camera phone or a point and shoot type, and the greedy demand for such photos by gossip magazines, it is little surprise that members of the public who experience chance encounters with celebrities will seek to profit from the substantial fees such photos command.
Since the death of Princess Diana and Dodi-Al-Fayed in August 1997, the paparazzi have come under constant fire. Many celebrities have lashed out physically and verbally when their privacy has been invaded, and many paparazzo’s have been arrested for endangering peoples life’s in their pursuit of profit at the cost of the privacy and well being of their celebrity prey . Currently, we can see the deteriorating mental state of many celebrities such as Britney Spears unfolding on the front of many glossy gossip magazines. But how much can we blame the paparazzi and the magazines who print the stories for this? When individuals face challenges in their life or make mistakes it is hard enough, but how much more challenging is it when you wake up to discover that the whole world knows about your problems and how you have tried to deal with them. [Information obtained from ITN, 2007 ] [Information obtained from BBC, 2008 ]
And is it not the same magazines who criticize the alcohol intake, drug habits, mental states, weights, relationship problems etc of celebrities who finance one of the key contributing factors resulting in stress, that is responsible for worsening many of the personal difficulties that these stars experience?.
The paparazzi collectively pocketed in excess of 4 million dollars for photos of Britney Spears in 2007. Such events in her life made public by the photos where her failing relationships and getting divorced, her reportedly inadequate parenting skills, her admission to rehabilitation units on 2 occasions, her obvious weight gain and abuse of diet pills. One shot was even taken up her skirt whilst exiting her car and another documented her involvement in a physical assault on a member of the paparazzi. [Information obtained from Telegraph, 2008]
When all this has been laid out for the world to see it would be hard not to believe that such publications would seriously affect the lives of such celebrities. In Britney’s case the articles accompanying the photos rarely express care and concern, empathy and support. Rather, they consist of critical comments faulting her present unstable lifestyle with never a mention of how the paparazzi harassment may be contributing to this and her ability to cope better with her personal difficulties. The Daily Telegraph reported that celebrity magazines estimated a 33% increase in sales of their magazines when her face was put on the front cover. [Information obtained from Telegraph, 2008a]
With little consideration for invasion of privacy, the stalking of celebrities includes the false triggering of fire alarms at events to flush out their prey and even the use of helicopters. These ‘professionals’ will use any means to outwit fellow paparazzo and exploit the celebrities and it is the digital technology that is their main weapon. The photographers value their own fame and prosperity above the artistic qualities valued by their predecessors, but sadly only earn notoriety for themselves.
The role of the paparazzi has developed from one that previously rarely sought anything more than to reveal the glamour of celebrities to one that captures stories that will sell, with no respect for the individual’s privacy or personal wellbeing or thought for the consequences of the distribution and use of such Images to that person.
For many, gossip is becoming a ‘virtual’ way of life, a way of escaping the boredom of ones own life. The gossip is becoming more probing and private as the paparazzi push what they can get to new levels. For the celebrities this means that their desire for fame and fortune is coming at a greater cost and sacrifice to themselves and the people they are close to. For society, it means the public are developing an unhealthy interest in the private lives of people who they don’t even know and worse still, passing judgment on them using flawed evidence. This occurs daily without us realizing what Is happening and purely In the name of entertainment and profit for those who provide the material for the magazines.
In this modern day we are now seeing the celebrities make deals with respectable tabloids to help ease the pressure from the paparazzi, for example when many celebrities now have children or get married it is common for a deal to be made with a particular tabloid to have the exclusive photos of the event. By doing this the celebrities will attend a photo shoot with a professional respectable photographer who wil receive around the same amount of money in return for the photos that a paparazzo would. The pressure from the paparazzi is eased by removing the possibility of them being able to provide unique pictures.. [Information obtained from BBC , 2000]
It would be wrong to overlook the respectable members of the paparazzi. They were present at the New York premiere of A Mighty Heart but they are an ever-decreasing group within the profession. For every respected professional member of the paparazzi they were at least 2 to 3 freelancers dotted around the entrance to the red carpet. [Information obtained from Independent, 2007]
There Is increasing competition both from within a saturated profession but also from increasing numbers of amateur freelancers and increasing demand for probing gossip from the magazines and the public that buy them. While this should not be used as an excuse for the fall In moral standards and conduct of the paparazzi It certainly does explain why photographers have had to change the way they work In order to remain successful within the profession.
The changes in the profession have resulted one way or another from the move from the 35mm film camera to digital cameras and the wider potentials that have come with this technology. The instant creation of images and the ability to do so at a low cost has made us think little about taking a photo as it no longer has the added cost of film. The digital advance is influencing the society we live in and putting increasing pressure on celebrities to hide and the paparazzi to find them.
New technological bench marks are already being predicted for 2008. A recent press release from Casio has revealed that we can expect a camera capable of 60 frames per second later this year. As Nikon reaches its 90th anniversary, the promise of faster, simpler and technically more advanced cameras will allow more people to own and use cameras. [Information obtained from Nikon, 2008] [Information obtained from Tech, 2008]
But where will this technology take us and how will it influence our cultures and the world we live in? The changes that have already taken place and which I have discussed above demonstrate that such advances also have negative consequences.
With daily examples of invasion of privacy being published in the magazines , it is becoming an accepted ways of life. Will the public slowly adopt similar attitudes to those famous people around them. It is almost certain that the paparazzi will be a driving factor for the camera companies to develop new technologies to help them in their pursuit of valuable images and which will therefore become available to all.
One thing is certain. The wannabe and established celebrities will always depend on the paparazzi to launch their careers and maintain favourable public profiles. The paparazzi Is therefore a key factor in the continuing success and fame of such celebrities
Whether we are amateur or professional exponents of digital photography we are all, in many ways, potentially akin to the paparazzi. However with technology ever advancing, we must learn to respect the opportunities it allows us and to use such technologies wisely and responsibly.
References
BBC (2000) Hollywood stars in baby picture deal Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/916819.stm [Accessed: 04/02/08]
BBC (2008) A night with the paparazzi Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4096087.stm [Accessed: 04/02/08]
CBC (2007) A night with the paparazzi Available at: http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/parishiltoninc/primer.html [Accessed: 04/02/08]
CBC (2007a) A night with the paparazzi Available at: http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/parishiltoninc/primer.html [Accessed: 04/02/08]
CBC (2007b) A night with the paparazzi Available at: http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/parishiltoninc/primer.html [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Guardian (2007) Reaching for the stars Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,2226725,00.html [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Guardian (2007) Phone snappers put squeeze on paparazzi Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/feb/27/pressandpublishing3 [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Independent (2007) Snapped! Is the game up for the paparazzi? Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/snapped-is-the-game-up-for-the-paparazzi-431540.html [Accessed: 04/02/08]
ITN (2007) Diana paparazzi ‘overstepped the mark’ Available at: http://itn.co.uk/news/72476f7979ad262d9cbd70acb24ade26.html [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Nikon (2007) D300 overview Available at: http://www.europe-nikon.com/product/en_GB/products/broad/1436/overview.html [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Nikon (2008) Nikon 90th anniversary Available at: http://nikonimaging.com/global/about/90th_anniversary/index.htm [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Tech (2008) Casio presents ultra-fast Exilim DSLR Available at: http://www.tech.co.uk/gadgets/digital-cameras/digital-cameras/news/casio-presents-ultra-fast-exilim-dslr?articleid=1193521502 [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Telegraph (2008) Britney Spears ‘worth $120m to US economy’ Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/02/wbritney302.xml [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Telegraph (2008a) Britney Spears ‘worth $120m to US economy’ Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/02/wbritney302.xml [Accessed: 04/02/08]
Note - Introductory paragraph is a personal account of a photographing and experiencing a premier in New York on
Tuesday 13th June 2007.at 7pm, at the Seigfeld Theatre
Photography – All taken By Christopher Natt on the Tuesday 13th June 2007. at the Seigfeld Theatre