Photo by discarted

In LA, we have ample opportunities to take photos of famous people. On Sunday in fact we saw Vince Vaughn riding his bike with friends in Santa Monica. (Counter to the common refrain about celebrities, he’s much larger in person.)

In this article in the Guardian, Ravi Somaiya embarks on a mission to take paparazzi-worthy photos – that is to say, photos that can net large payouts from the celebrity weeklies. One fuzzy photo of Salmon Rushdie and a mangled shot of Kirsten Dunst later, Somaiya learned a few things.

Rob Bennett, photographer for the New York Times, gives this advice in reviewing Somaiya’s shots, which can actually be applied to all sorts of street photography:

These both show a fear of revealing yourself to the subject. You can see that you were scared of approaching them. Actually, the one of you and her has value. Citizen journalism like this works when the photographer engages with the subject.

Paparazzi need to have “rhino thick” skin, says Chris Doherty, owner of photo agency INF. That’s presumably to withstand the barrage of insults and expletives thrown your way along the line of “get a real job.” He also says you need multiple sources around town, i.e., doormen, valet parkers, waiters. These people tip you off to comings and goings that might not already be on the radar of the 800 or so other paparazzi on the prowl.

Article from The Guardian.