Two photographers who tried to snap shots of pop star Britney Spears from a fire access road on a hillside near her Studio City home were arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of loitering.
The men were taken into custody after someone called police about 4 p.m. Monday to report that photographers were loitering on city-owned property, which has restricted public access and is blocked by a chain-linked fence, said LAPD Sgt. Ruby Malachi.
Officers told the photographers they were on city-owned property and that they should leave, Malachi said. The photographers said they would heed the warning but when police returned about an hour later, they were still there.
"They were detained, questioned and eventually arrested before being transported to North Hollywood station, where they were released," Malachi said.
September 10, 2008
September 5, 2008
EVA MENDES - MENDES 'SCARED' BY PAPARAZZI
Hollywood actress EVA MENDES is terrified of paparazzi car chases - insisting some photographers go too far by driving dangerously in a bid to get a picture.
Mendes is often the focus of snappers when she is out and about in Los Angeles, and while she accepts that dealing with the media scrum is a part of life as a celebrity, she is adamant that some should take more care, especially on the road.
She says, "I've been followed and it's scary. You're a young woman alone in your car and you have a few guys in SUVs (sports utility vehicles) following you that won't let up. And the scary part is that they actually run red lights.
"I hate it when people say 'You're in this business, that's what you have to deal with'. No. You don't have to deal with harassment. You have to deal with your life being somewhat public.
"I heard George Clooney talking a few months ago about how he was being followed on a motorcycle and they were running lights and almost getting into accidents with other people and I've totally experienced that."
September 4, 2008
September 3, 2008
Two Malibu men charged with attacking paparazzo
Officials on Tuesday said they charged two Malibu men for attacking a paparazzo who was snapping pictures of actor Matthew McConaughey as he was surfing in the Pacific Ocean in June.
The attack on the photographer made headlines around the world and sparked calls by Los Angeles-area politicians for more controls over aggressive paparazzi.
Skylar Martin Peak, 24, and Philip John Hildebrand, 30, both of Malibu, were each charged with one misdemeanor count of battery for attacking Richid Altmbareckouhammou, who was working for a French news agency, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office said.
Officials claim the two men threw Altmbareckouhammou into the water from where he was taking pictures on the beach. Each faces up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.
The incident occurred while McConaughey was surfing near a cove in Malibu. About a dozen paparazzi were on the beach taking pictures of the actor, whose film work includes "Fool's Gold," "Failure to Launch," and the upcoming "Surfer, Dude."
The incident caused several local politicians to look for ways to curb the activities of the paparazzi. In late July, Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine held a hearing to consider ideas such as licensing paparazzi and creating personal safety zones around celebrities.
September 2, 2008
Paris Hates The Paparazzi
Paris Hilton became famous by the paparazzi who believed she had star quality. They made her a star and now she's really sick of them.
Paris says that she is fed up by being followed by the dudes that made her who she is.
She says, “It is annoying when they are always showing up at your house. I think it is fine at like a movie premiere or an event when they are supposed to be there. But when it is every single day it just gets really tiring.
“There is nothing you can do about it. They want you to lash out at them so I never do. I have never done that and I never will.”
She definitely does have a point. Imagine being followed all the time! It will get really old real soon. But then again, celebs usually start panicking when photogs stop taking their photos so it's sort of Catch 22.
Friend Won't Hesitate To Punch Paparazzi
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY's actor boyfriend RUPERT FRIEND has threatened to "knock out" any paparazzo who gets too close to him, because he's annoyed by the constant media hounding.The 26-year-old, who has been dating his Pride + Prejudice co-star Knightley for more than two years, is a regular target for press photographers because of the high-profile romance - but the unwanted attention has left Friend fuming.
And he insists he wouldn't hesitate to hit out at a snapper if they overstepped the line.
He says, "There's 15 big hairy guys one foot in front of you, walking backwards with 15 flashes going off. It's right in your face, all the way to the shop, all the way through the process, and all the way back.
"I now understand entirely why people take swings at photographers, and if one gets within more than a foot of me I will do the same.
"I have absolute respect for anyone who manages to knock one of them out!"
August 22, 2008
Uma Thurman Defends Paparazzi
Actress Uma Thurman has stepped out in defence of the paparazzi, insisting celebrity photographers are "just doing their jobs".
The 38-year-old Kill Bill star has been plagued by swarms of photographers since starting out as a fashion model at the age of 15.
But she refuses to join the celebrity trend of bashing snappers - even when they catch her in unflattering poses.
Thurman says, "They can definitely be annoying, but at the end of the day these photographers are just doing their jobs - one they probably never imagined they would have."
August 8, 2008
Nicole Kidman: Don't shoot our baby
Nicole Kidman has asked photographers to take pictures from a distance. New parents Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are hoping paparazzi will keep their distance during the family's trip to Sydney.
While Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt fetched $14 million from People magazine for pics of their new twins, Knox and Vivienne, Kidman and Urban are trying to keep little Sunday Rose under wraps.
"Keith and I are appealing to the press to give us a little space so we can walk around Sydney and show the baby our town," Kidman, a native Australian, said on Sydney's "Kyle & Jackie O" show.
Kidman is OK with some photos, she said, adding, "just not right in our face or her face because it's scary for her. She's tiny. A tiny little thing."
Since the couple is keeping their bundle of joy out of the limelight, Kidman has revealed that her daughter looks like her daddy, but with a reddish tint to her hair, just like mommy.
August 6, 2008
Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick moving to escape paparazzi
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick are reportedly moving out of their New York apartment in an attempt to escape the paparazzi.
The couple have lived in their home in the West Village for a number of years but the Sex and the City star explained recently that the paparazzi attention has got out of control recently: “Photographers moved into apartments next door to us and we really found ourselves kind of living like a spy movie… I feel like they think they have to be there. Like they punch in or something.”
According to New York magazine, the pair have fallen for a new $18million home across town in the East Village and are hoping to make their move later in the year.
A source explained: “It’s two houses that have been knocked into one so it’s a lot bigger and has a huge backyard.
“They’re hoping it’ll be more private and give their son [James Wilkie] plenty of room to grow.”
August 4, 2008
Celebrity Agents Missing Out On Income – Allowing Paparazzi To Promote Their Stars Rather Than Monetizing Package Effectively
The other day Best Syndication was looking to embed the Jessica Simpson “Public Affair” music video on a story. YouTube was the logical first choice for our project. We found her video but were unable to embed it. Why? What does Jessica Simpson have to lose? They have already partnered with YouTube (Google) to monetize the video. They might as well have it placed on numerous sites around the Internet to increase revenue.
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So rather than putting up the original Jessica Simpson video, publishers may opt to place a parody of her video. The parody, which may fall under fair-use (similar to Saturday Night Live parodies), will be disseminated among fan sites, blogs and bulletin boards in place of the original video. Adding insult to injury, Simpson and other talented stars do not receive one dime from Parodies.
Reuters, AFP and Associated Press have all signed-up as partners with YouTube. They have decided to join Google in a revenue sharing agreement where ads are placed at the bottom of their videos. The ads only run for a few seconds of the video, but if someone clicks on the ad they share in the revenue.
It would make sense for these agencies to allow embedding. Currently only the Associated Press (AP) allows publishers to embed videos. Both Reuters and AFP do not allow publishers to use their videos. The message provided is “Embedding disabled by request.” This means AP videos will be seen by more people increasing the potential for revenue.
Some talent management companies, public relations departments and agents might be doing a disservice to their clients. They should be providing the best images copyright-free for the public domain. This might be a better choice than allowing an image of their client without makeup moving to top of the picture list in Yahoo’s image search results.
News agencies, bloggers and fan sites may prefer to use the free image over an image they have to pay for, or one that can not be verified in the public domain. Rather than copyrighting the image, they may be better off to offer the pictures copyright-free. If the agencies already have copyright-free publicity photos, make them more readily available and make more of them.
This approach can help give their client a positive image. No more mug shots. No more bad-hair days. No more less-desirable paparazzi photos. Publishers will likely choose from your copyright-safe free images. It is a win-win.
July 31, 2008
Plan to crack down on aggressive paparazzi
Celebrities, law enforcement officials and city leaders are expected at L.A. City Hall for the hearing led by City Councilman Dennis Zine.
Members of the paparazzi follow stars, jump in front of cars and hide in bushes to get pictures of the rich and famous. Now there's an effort to clamp down on their aggressive behavior.
Councilman Zine wants a paparazzi task force to create a personal safety zone between the aggressive photographers and their celebrity targets. He proposed the ordinance after the Los Angeles Police Department spent $25,000 to transport Britney Spears from her Studio City home to UCLA Medical Center earlier this year.
Just last month there was a violent clash between surfers and paparazzi in Malibu when photographers tried to get pictures of actor Matthew McConaughey at the beach. Malibu is also trying to create a proposal to regulate unruly photographers, perhaps by creating a buffer zone.
But LAPD Chief William Bratton says the proposal is unnecessary.
"I have no intention of supporting any additional rules, regulations, or laws," said Bratton. "We have enough in this city without piling more on in terms of for one-time incidents. Sorry this thing doesn't rise to the need for that."
"I think the chief should listen to the concerns of the community, listen to the concerns of the celebrities, listen to what issues could be resolved," said Zine. "We have laws on the books, we're not denying that. And I have 40 years of service with the Los Angeles Police Department, I know there's laws. The problem is those laws are not working."
Bruce Willis drenches paparazzi
Bruce Willis threw water over a photographer's car on Tuesday (29.07.08).
The 'Die Hard' actor became angry when the paparazzo tried to take his picture as he left a medical building in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
Irritated at how close the photographers were getting to him, he retaliated by throwing a bottle of water over one of their cars.
However, many of the photographers were pleased with his antics as they photographed him hurling the liquid.
Bruce is not the first celebrity to lash out at the paparazzi.
Last year, Britney Spears famously beat a photographer's car with an umbrella when she deemed he was being too intrusive.
She later wrote to the photographer's agency to apologise for the incident.
She said: "I want to apologise for the past incident with the umbrella. I was preparing a character for a possible movie role where the husband doesn't play his part so they swap places.
"Unfortunately, I didn't get the part. I'm sorry I got all carried away with my part."
In January, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin tackled a photographer to the floor outside New York's Mount Sinai Medical Centre.
The singer was with his wife Gwyneth Paltrow - who was rumoured to be pregnant at the time - and became enraged when the photographer shouted "congratulations Chris!"
Chris screamed: "Have some f***ing respect!" He then pushed the paparazzo to the ground and wrestled his camera from himRecruiting Candid Celebrity Photographers
Hello from Everett Collection. I am writing to ask if any of you can recommend yourself or other photographers who shoot celebrity candids - not the hardcore stalkerazzi shots of celebs hiding from the camera, but the more casual "on the street" shots of them out and about getting their coffee, shopping, or coming and going from nightclubs and restaurants, as well as any movie or video shoots on location.
In the past, we were not accepting anything that was not from invited and credentialed coverage on the red carpet, but as we've grown these last few years (and as our foreign network of partner agents has really increased our share in the foreign markets) we continue to get an increased demand for the more candid celebrity images from our clients. While we do not want to receive coverage that is too aggressive or offensive (we don't want images that came from trespassing on private property or chasing down celebrities in their cars), we know we could make good sales on candids, and appreciate any referrals you can offer.
We are also not aiming to do the FIRST SALES on EXCLUSIVE images, but rather hope to find a shooter who uses his/her primary agency for the first sales on exclusives, but who then has rights to syndicate similars or outtakes for secondary sales through supplemental partners, perhaps after an initial embargo period has expired. We would be happy to accommodate them with a byline that is an alias or pseudonym, if this is their preference. They would retain copyright on all images and receive 50% royalties on all license fees.
Thank you for any recommendations of names, telephone numbers and email addresses you can provide, and feel free to forward my contact information as well.
Take care,
Michael Williams
Director of Entertainment Photo Assignments
July 26, 2008
Paparazzi Fight Bodyguards after Being Discovered at Jolie-Pitt Residence
Two paparazzi that were discovered by the bodyguards that protect the Jolie-Pitt estate in southern France started a fight with the guards that led to both parties filing complaints against the other at the police.
It seems that the two paparazzi were wearing camouflage gear and that one of them reacted extremely violently when the guards escorted him to the exit. According Jolie's and Pitt's men, the person broke a finger of one of the bodyguards, bit another one and drew blood over them while saying that he had hepatitis C.
On the other hand, the photographer said that the guards were hitting him so hard, that he had to put blood all over them and tell them that he had HIV so that they would stop beating him. According to his declarations, he and his colleague were in a forest outside the estate and the guards reacted abusively by escorting them away from that place which is open for everybody to walk through.
The police said that they questioned both parties and that further investigations will be carried out. However, according to the Associated Press, a spokesperson of the police said that "I won't hide for you that this kind of thing is really not the type of problem that interests us. There are, in my opinion, far more important things than paparazzi taking photos of a glamor couple."
The Jolie-Pitt couple is making efforts in protecting their family's privacy, a thing that seems more and more difficult to accomplish after Angelina gave birth to twins on July 12 attracting press' attention even more than usually.
Halle Berry pushes back against paparazzi
LOS ANGELES - Halle Berry said a paparazzi went too far to get a shot of her infant daughter, alleging that the shooter trespassed on her private property and snapped them hanging out in the backyard.
Evan Spiegel, an attorney representing Berry, said a criminal complaint has been filed and an investigation is under way. He said there are witnesses who saw the photographers in the middle of a "very blatant and invasive trespass."
"The paparazzi have gone too far," Berry said in a statement to The Associated Press. She vowed to do everything possible to get the photographer prosecuted and protect her infant daughter.
"I have long since come to terms with the fact that choosing a career as an actress has made me a public figure, but my baby has made no such choice, and unless and until she does, I will do everything I can ... to keep her out of the public eye," the statement read.
Berry said she wants anyone who used the photos to know they were illegally obtained.
"The magazines are not aware that there was anything improper in the taking of this image," the statement said.
Berry‘s pushback against the paparazzi comes at a time when their tactics are coming under increased scrutiny.
A regional task forces is scheduled to convene in Los Angeles next week to discuss the paparazzi, and Berry‘s statement was issued the same day a pair of photographers scuffled in France with security personnel for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
July 24, 2008
Sienna Miller sues over topless photos with Balthazar Getty
Sienna Miller is one great big bundle of contradictions. Or a hypocrite, depending on how you want to put it. The woman is barely able to keep her top on. I cannot think of any celebrity whose breasts I’ve seen so often I could pick them out of a lineup. And though she seems physically incapable of keeping her shirt on in public, Sienna Miller is suing over the slew of boobie pics of late – and there have been tons. Taken on multiple occasions. Sienna Miller is suing two media organizations over the topless photos of her vacationing with new beau Balthazar Getty.
According to London’s The Guardian, she claims photo agency Big Pictures and British tabloids News of the World and the Sun violated her privacy by publishing photos and stories about her new romance.
The suit comes days after Getty announced he and his wife Rosetta (with whom he has four children) have separated. In a statement, the actor said “the breakdown of a marriage is a very difficult and painful experience especially when children are involved.” He added that the photos that “have surfaced in print and on the Internet” have “caused myself and my family great embarrassment.”
[From Us Weekly]
Sienna doesn’t just have a history of walking around al fresco, she also has a long history of suing photographers over it. And winning. I’m not saying the woman doesn’t have a right to privacy. And I’m not saying she shouldn’t be able to walk around topless where it’s legal, if that’s what she wants to do. But it’s just about publicity.
If Miller really didn’t want her nipples splashed across the pages of The Sun, then she should keep them behind a nice peasant top. It’s crazy how that works. If you keep your nipples to yourself, photographers won’t take pictures of them. If you go outdoors and shove them into your boyfriend’s hands, photographers will take pictures of them. It’s a pretty simple equation, really.
I hope this lawsuit gets thrown out. It makes me think of the morbidly obese man who sued Wendy’s restaurants because the booths weren’t large enough for him to sit in. As the judge pointed out, the man was too large for the booths, it wasn’t that the booths are too small. Thus the man was ordered by the judge to lose weight (though I’m not saying that was necessarily an appropriate solution in that case).
Similarly, Sienna seems to have confused the essential issue here. It’s not like photographers were snapping pictures of here walking around inside her house naked. She was outdoors on a boat. And on a deck. And a couple other places. She’s been shirtless so often lately that it’s hard to keep track. The judge should order her to keep her top on in public. Or take it off, for all I care. She just needs to stop complaining about the logical result of her actions.
July 23, 2008
Brad Pitt Sics His Lawyers on the Prying Paparazzi … A Little Too Late
Brad Pitt’s loudmouthed attorneys at Lavely & Singer are, preemptively, trying to clamp down on a series of photos that “were surreptitiously taken of Mr. Pitt and his family as they engaged in familial activities on private property, namely, in the privacy of the estate in which they are presently residing in France and where they had a reasonable expectation of privacy.” Not content with issuing a cease and desist letter after the pictures’ publication, L&S want to make sure these photos never make it into the public eye. (Too late, as you’ll see.) Supposedly, the publication of these photos — showing Pitt and wife Angelina Jolie with the kids — infringe not just on Pitt’s privacy rights in the State of California, but also in France!
Except, according to one understanding of the law, this is wrong. Oh, and also? In Touch already published the pics.
In the U.S., aerial photos of private property haven’t exactly been viewed as invasions of privacy. If those cameras are aimed through windows to snap pictures indoors, well then maybe. But outdoor pics? Less so.
In France, the rules are much stricter, as we’ve noted before. The French take citizen privacy, even for celebs, much more serious, and make it a crime to publish pictures without consent, even when celebs have limited to no expectation of privacy. Except the rules might only matter when the pictures are published in France; the photos, if snapped in France and published elsewhere, are generally un-actionable.
This isn’t the first, nor the last time we’ll see Hollywood firms like Lavely & Singer protecting their clients’ photo privacy. The bulldog law firm went down this road before when topless sunbathing photos of Pitt’s own ex-wife Jennifer Aniston surfaced. Perhaps forecasting where Pitt’s own matter will end up, most web publications pulled those photos.
Indeed: Bauer-Griffin, the paparazzi agency behind the photos that today’s Lavely & Singer cease and desist letter is about, has taken their pictures down. But not before selling them to In Touch. We can’t find the pics on their website, but anybody can find the 20+ pictures in this week’s issue, on newsstands now.
July 22, 2008
Paparazzi arrested near Britney Spears' home
Two photographers who tried to snap shots of pop star Britney Spears were arrested Monday on suspicion of loitering. (Mark J. Terrill / AP)
Related links
The photographers were identified Tuesday as Alexandre Passos, 35, of Canoga Park and Eduardo Ravalha, 35, of Los Angeles. They were booked on suspicion of loitering and Ravalha's silver 2005 C-20 Mercedes Benz was impounded.
Police said they were called to the same area two weeks ago because of a similar report involving the paparazzi, Malachi said. At that time, authorities noted that signs warning people to stay off the property had been removed.
The arrests Monday are part of what authorities have described as a larger crack down against aggressive photographers.
In February, the LAPD arrested four paparazzi on suspicion of reckless driving as they followed Spears on a San Fernando Valley street. Police alleged that at least one of the photographers tried to run her off the road.
That same month, in separate incidents, four paparazzi were booked on charges arising from blocking sidewalks in West Hollywood.
Spears' exploits have been a tabloid staple for years. Among the most memorable moment were photos of her driving down Pacific Coast Highway while holding her infant son in her lap, an incident that led to an inquiry by Los Angeles County child welfare officials.
That was followed by other increasingly bizarre incidents, including Spears' impromptu stop at an Encino salon to shave her head, attacking paparazzi with an umbrella, being photographed sans underwear in public, failed trips to drug rehabilitation, appearing incoherent during a photo shoot for OK! Magazine, a much-panned performance at the MTV Video Music Awards and numerous court hearings about custody of her two young sons.
The paparazzi frenzy reached a peak in January when Spears was taken to psychiatric wards at two local hospitals about a month apart, including an LAPD-escorted trip that cost the department $25,000.
The intense scene led Los Angeles Police Department and Sheriff's Department officials to say they planned to use existing laws to crack down on what they described as increasingly aggressive paparazzi
Councilman Dennis Zine introduced a measure to create a minimum "personal safety zone" around individuals targeted by the media. LAPD Chief William J. Bratton said the measure was not needed, arguing that existing laws were sufficient to deal with the problem.
Authorities said their tools include anti-loitering ordinances, traffic laws and rules targeting infractions such as illegally tinted windows and paper license plates.
July 16, 2008
BUNDCHEN DREAMS OF PUNCHING THE PAPARAZZI
Supermodel GISELE BUNDCHEN is asking for a change in the law, so she can assault the photographers who camp outside her New York home.
The Brazilian beauty spends her days dodging the paparazzi with sports star boyfriend Tom Brady.
And she's desperate to take out her frustration on the men with lenses, snarling, "They sit in front of my house all day... Believe me, if I had my way I would go around punching people."
July 15, 2008
NYC Adopts Improved Photo Permit Rules
The New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (MOFTB) has just issued its final set of rules governing when permits are needed to take pictures in public property. These rules were the subject of much debate last summer, when they were first proposed and then quickly withdrawn and revised.
The rules have improved with each revision. The ones issued today appear to be the the fairest and most photographer-friendly of the whole process.
If you love to read these things in detail, click here to read the 12-page rule notice.
Or you can read the summary in an MOFTB press release.
"Under the adopted rules, a permit would be required for filming if equipment or vehicles, as defined in the rule, are used or if the person filming asserts exclusive use of City property. Equipment does not include hand-held devices (such as hand-held film, still, or television cameras or videocameras) or tripods used to support such cameras, but a permit would be required in certain situations when the person filming asserts exclusive use of City property while using a hand-held device."
As a reminder, permits are already required for this kind of thing in New York and most other cities. The problem was that the rules had evolved over time and nothing formal was on the books. Permits are free but require you to carry $1 million of liability insurance, though it is possible to apply for a waiver in cases of hardship. Students should be covered by their schools.
So when can you get away without having a permit?
"A permit is not required for filming that uses hand-held cameras or tripods and does not assert exclusive use of City property. Standing on a street, walkway of a bridge, sidewalk, or other pedestrian passageway while using a hand-held device and not otherwise asserting exclusive use of City property is not an activity that requires a permit. In addition, activity that involves the filming of a parade, rally, protest or demonstration does not require a permit except when equipment or vehicles are used. The rules also provide that press photographers, who are credentialed by the New York Police Department (NYPD) do not need to obtain a MOFTB permit."
Looks good on paper. Let's see if it holds up out in the streets.