Synthesis Paper - Papparazzi - 1930 Words

Synthesis Paper English 111 Lights, Camera, and Tactics Have you ever wondered where the photo of your favorite celebrity came from? Who took it? How much was paid for the photo? Was anyone injured or harassed in the process of taking this photo? Do celebrities have a right to privacy? This essay takes a look at the paparazzi, the celebrities, the tactics used to take the pictures, and the tactics used to avoid a photo from being taken. The Paparazzi The paparazzi are possibly the most despised media practitioners. Members of this group can be seen on the streets of Los Angeles and New York, hoping to catch an unguarded moment of a celebrity, buying coffee, walking a dog, or doing just about any mundane activity. (Mendelson 1)†¦show more content†¦Valdez writes, â€Å"Everything from disguises to decoys are used to avoid recognition in public places. At times, celebrities use multiple cars to cover travel routes. False press statements and an alias can cover a celebritys whereabouts. More low-tech solutions involve canopies over outdoor events and good old-fashioned bruiser security to keep the paparazzi at bay.† (Valdez 6) There are numerous tactics used to one-up the paparazzi, including releasing photos of weddings and first photos of their newborn babies to publications before the paparazzi can. Valdez reports, â€Å"Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas took perhaps some of the most famous and extreme set of measures to keep paparazzi out of the picture at their wedding.† The security measures cost over $60,000, which included: â€Å"All of the caterers, help, suppliers and any other vendors associated with the wedding had to sign confidentiality agreements (even the ones that didnt get the job). And No wedding guests were given the time or location of the wedding until the last minute.† (Valdez 6) But even with the enormous measures taken, â€Å"paparazzo Rupert Thorpe managed to infiltrate the wedding and snap shots of the bride and groom that he later sold to publications Hello! and The Sun.† The celebrity couple was furious and sought legal action, â€Å"won a nominal s ettlement against the publications.† (Valdez 6) Supermodel Heidi Klum took a similar approach to keep paparazzi away from her daughter.