Paparazzi

For the article on the 2004 film, see Paparazzi (movie)

Paparazzi is a term for photographers who take candid photographs of celebrities, usually by relentlessly shadowing them in public and private activities. Paparazzi is often used derogatorily. Originally it referred to Italian celebrity photographers who realized a picture of a movie star throwing a punch was more valuable than pictures of stars smiling. It is this antagonistic interaction that is the true hallmark of a paparazzi. However the term is often used erroneously for photographers merely photographing people of note.

The word derives from Paparazzo, the name of a news photographer character in Federico Fellini's film La Dolce Vita. In Hong Kong, paparazzi are sometimes called "puppy teams", either because they dog (i.e. track) their subjects, or by analogy with the behavior of puppies around people.

Technological developements in cameras i.e. longer lenses and higher speed films, enables paparazzi to shoot their prey from afar, and unknown to their subjects. Furthermore, digital cameras and transmission methods allow for rapid distribution of the pictures.

Due to the annoying reputation of the paparazzi, some states and some countries (particularly Europe) restrict the job of the paparazzi, by passing laws and curfews and certain events when the paparazzi can photograph.

Paparazzi in the news

• The Oriental Daily News (東方日報) of Hong Kong was found guilty of "scandalising the court", an extremely rare criminal charge that the newspaper’s conduct would undermine confidence in the administration of justice [1]. The charges arose after it had published abusive articles challenging the judiciary's integrity and accusing it of bias in a suit the paper had instigated over a photo of a pregnant Faye Wong. The paper had also arranged for a puppy team to track a judge for 72 hours, to provide the judge with firsthand experience with what paparazzi do.

• Some blame paparazzi for the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed, who were killed in 1997 in a high-speed automobile accident in Paris, France while under pursuit by paparazzi. Although several paparazzi were briefly taken into custody, none were ever convicted, and the official French investigation of the accident concluded that they had not caused the accident.