Photography Scum

“A paparazzi is merely an extremely nosy nobody with a camera—and bills to pay.” 
― Mokokoma Mokhonoana

I hate the paparazzi. I think they are blood sucking leeches that kind of make a joke out of the career. Not all of them are so evil. Some just come to Red Carpet events or other ceremonies to get their pictures of celebrity appearances. But some paparazzi follow celebrities to their home, grocery stores, gyms, restaurants, etc. They will get any picture, no matter whose privacy they are violating. They do this just to sell it to a magazine for a profit.

William Hodgman of the L.A. district attorney's office states in an interview with CBS, "What is clear, at least at ground level, at the paparazzi level, is that there is a competition to get a shot, that is purchased by others, and that the intensity of this conduct is crossing the line into criminal behavior."

Many paparazzi have restraining orders against them, and are practically stalking celebrities just to get a photo opportunity. There have been many law suits against the paparazzi for various reasons, including harassment, invasion of privacy, stalking, assault, and trespassing, to name a few.

Affleck threatens to kick a harassing paparazzi.

I don't think the paparazzi view celebrities as people. They don't care about their feelings or that they are violating them with their pictures. In an interview with CNN, actor Ben Affleck says that his children are "freaked out" by the paparazzi. They get in the children's personal space with their huge cameras and yell for their attention.

Celebrities have lashed out against the paparazzi because of the constant pestering and following. Once they do this, the paparazzi try to press assault charges or take pictures to sell to magazines about the celebrities alleged "anger problems".

I think it is a tasteless profession to invade people's privacy to pay your rent. If these photographers were any good, they would be able to find a real photography job, that wouldn't harass people in the process.