Eliot Tiegel Explores Downside of Celeb-Frenzied Paparazzi in New Book

In his new revealing expose, Overexposed: The Price of Fame, Eliot Tiegel explores the inevitable and sometimes dangerous, media-frenzied draw toward Hollywood stars -- and he's telling ET how the increased paparazzi coverage of today is affecting starlets Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and others.

"The rule is that if you're in the magazines you're alive and the public will know who you are," Tiegel explains about celebrities in the media. "Once you're not doing anything and you fade away from all these tabloid magazines who fight every week to produce the same stories most of the time, you disappear -- which means you're not popular anymore."

Tiegel also discusses the death of Princess Diana in 1997, caused by a car accident that followed a paparazzi chase in the streets of Paris.

Watch the video to hear Tiegel discuss how the paparazzi attention has changed entertainment journalism, and he explains the commodity behind star photographs -- an undeniable incentive for getting the perfect shot.

Sasha and Malia: In the Eye of the Paparazzi

In tabloid math, the only thing better than a picture of a celebrity is a picture of a celebrity with his or her cute kid — or in some cases, just the kid (see Suri Cruise). There's no bigger celebrity at the moment than President Barack Obama, who has already been on the cover of such august political organs as TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. As luck would have it, Barack and Michelle Obama have two of the cutest — and therefore potentially lucrative — offspring on the planet. Beanie Babies maker Ty has already released Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia dolls. So the appetite for stories and photos of the First Daughters is going to be somewhere between huge and crazed. (And no, TIME.com is not immune. See pictures of Sasha and Malia at the Inauguration.)

Gary Morgan, CEO of Splash, a photo and video agency that specializes in paparazzi shots, says he's already sent more photographers to Washington. "There's going to be a lot of interest, all around the world, in the Obama family," he says. In December, Splash distributed photos of the Obamas holidaying in Hawaii, including some long-lens shots of the President-elect shirtless. Morgan says he had no trouble selling them. (Read about Obama trying to avoid the spotlight in Hawaii.)

"My dream would be a picture of them decorating their bedrooms or having a pajama party," says OK! Magazine editor in chief Susan Toepfer, who adds that she'll settle for photos of Christmas and Easter celebrations. "The Obamas have made it clear they want to be open with the public. They're going to become the national family." (See pictures of U.S. Presidents and their children.)

Of course, OK! prefers to keep the celebrities it's covering happy. And even more aggressive magazines like Us Weekly have a written policy of not buying pictures of kids taken at or near their schools. But other tabloids are not going to be so picky, particularly the online outlets. If someone has a picture of Malia or Sasha having a bad hair day back in Illinois, Morgan says Splash would buy it. Likewise, if there's a story of alleged social climbing at a Sidwell Friends birthday party, it's a safe bet that gossip site Gawker and its ilk would run the story.

Given the market for such pictures, could the paparazzi become a problem for the First Family? Alan Nierob, a publicist whose flashbulb-bait clients include Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe, says he can't imagine one. "There aren't going to be any long-lens shots into the White House," says Nierob. "Hello! There's a Secret Service. It's not like the girls are going to be sitting in traffic while photographers snap away."

While Morgan says no one is going to be foolish enough to "chase down the President of the United States" for a shot, he thinks it won't be necessary, because the Obamas seem to know how to utilize the popular press to their advantage. They have set up photo ops in the past and have allowed for others. "If they're out and we can get a shot, it's because they don't mind us being there," he says. "The Secret Service guys are cool as long as you don't do anything dangerous."

Morgan wonders, however, if this unspoken agreement between the First Family and the popular press will last. "We'll see how it goes after a few months. It's not like we don't know where he lives," he says. "You can't keep people cooped up there forever."

Miley Cyrus Encourages the Paparazzi

Now here's something you don't see every day.

Given how so many stars are notorious for shunning the shutterbugs and doing whatever they can to prevent paps from getting that so-called money shot, you can imagine our delight when we spotted Miley Cyrus in L.A. on Wednesday actually inviting folks to snap away by sporting a tee that read "Take a picture. It will last longer."

Not that it comes as a complete surprise, mind you. After all, the teen sensation is known for being photog friendly whenever she steps out.

Of course, simply stepping out in your pajama bottoms is also a pretty sure way to get cameras clicking.

For Paparazzi, Obamas Are as Hot as Pitt-Jolies

Hordes of photographers are gearing up to make their fortunes with photos of the glamorous new first family, Elizabeth Wolff writes in New York magazine.The transition team is trying to carefully manage images of the Obamas, but they're up against patient and wily paparazzi trying to sneak shots of the family that photo agencies are ranking right up there with the Pitt-Jolies for celebrity status.

One veteran pap says Obama pix are outearning his Lindsay Lohan stock. They'll be doggedly lying in wait to snap "regular people" shots of Michele shopping and taking the girls to school, but the Holy Grail of Obama pics is a photo of the president-elect smoking. Such a photo would "definitely fetch over $100,000," says the chief of one agency dispatching extra snappers to DC.

Tribeca Film Festival Press Registration

The eighth annual Tribeca Film Festival will take place April 22nd - May 3rd, 2009 in New York City.

We hope that you will consider applying for credentials to attend and cover the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. If you are interested in doing so, please use the following link to access the formal application: https://secure.sportssystems.com/events2/?eventKey=aadb469e-b301-499d-a1ec-a1dbd09cfd00

We kindly ask that you complete the application in its entirety as soon as possible. The deadline for applications is March 13, 2009. After this date, no further applications will be considered. Please note that you will receive clear notification from us regarding approval or denial of your application before March 27.

The Tribeca Film Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture. Since its founding, the Festival has screened more than 1,100 films from over 80 countries while generating more than $530 million in economic activity for New York City. Known for its support of emerging and established directors, the Festival’s mission is to help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enable the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center.

We look forward to speaking with you soon. If you have any questions regarding the accreditation form or credentialing process, please contact Casey Sanders, the Festival’s Press Office Manager, at +1 212.843.9304 or festival@rubenstein.com.

As always, thank you for your time.

Best,

The Tribeca Film Festival Press Department

Legal Rights of Photographers in the USA

Here's a good guideline for taking photos in public.

http://www.kantor.com/blog/Legal-Rights-of-Photographers.pdf

PicApp now representing paparazzi imagery from Pacific Coast News

Picapp, a service of the Israel based technology company PicScout offering bloggers an ad-supported solution to use celebrity, sports, and news, images free of charge, has announced that it has added paparazzi content from Pacific Coast News(PCN). PCN is one of the more prominent sources for entertainment news and pictures. “We at Pacific Coast News are witnessing a substantial change in the photo industry, with a growing demand for the content by bloggers” Said Paul Harris PCN CEO “I believe that PicApp’s innovative and most scalable application will be able to meet the blogger requirements and therefore provide us with a new distribution channel.”

Picapp currently offers images for free use by publishers who are willing to embed the image with ads that Picapp uses to compensate contributors for the content. The company currently represents content from Getty Images, Corbis, Newscom, Image Source, Splash News, and many others. “Our team is pleased to have Pacific Coast News join the platform and add their content to a growing list of content partners” said Eyal Gura, PicApp CEO. “One of the major requests we receive from the blogging community is to increase supply of entertainment images and the PCN content answer this specific need.

Paul Andrew Hawthorne, 41

Paul Andrew Hawthorne, 41, of Jersey City, N.J., passed away on Dec. 20, 2008, after a courageous struggle with Primary Amyloidosis, a rare blood disorder.

He is survived by his wife of seven years, Amy Lambo Hawthorne; and his parents, William J. Hawthorne and Sandra Shroades Hawthorne of Chester, W.Va. He is also survived by two sons, Maxwell James Hawthorne, age 4, and Lucas Alexander Hawthorne, 7 months.

Paul was a beloved brother to Lori Hawthorne Pietrandrea and Luigi Pietrandrea of Hopewell, Pa.; William J. Hawthorne II and Darla Hawthorne of Ambridge, Pa.; Philip Bradley Hawthorne and Robin Hawthorne of Fleetville, Pa.; and Anne Hawthorne Miller and Jason Miller of Industry, Pa. Paul was a loving uncle to 10 nieces and nephews: Alyssa Pietrandrea, Anthony Pietrandrea, Noah Hawthorne, Emma Hawthorne, Jacob Miller, Jordan Miller, Kyle Miller, Ann Therese Lambo, Paul Lambo and Joey Mancz.

Paul and his twin brother, Philip, were born on Aug. 11, 1967, in Rochester, Pa.

During his youth, Paul played many sports. He was a member of the Little League champion Industry Yankees and lettered in high school baseball. He was a 1985 graduate of Western Beaver High School and a 1988 graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Paul proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1989 to 1993. During his military service Paul served as a still photographer with the prestigious Combat Camera Group Atlantic, photographing NATO forces during Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Paul served as a photographers' mate, supervising a team of six photographers aboard the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy.

After the Navy, Paul continued his work as a photojournalist working as a staff photographer for the Norristown Times Herald in Norristown, Pa., photo chief for the New Castle News in New Castle, Pa., international news photo editor for the Associated Press in New York City, staff photographer for Wireimage in New York City and a staff photographer for Getty Images in New York City. Paul's recent freelance work included regular photo assignments for the New York Times, New York Post and various corporate and media clients in the greater New York area.

In addition to his passion for photography, Paul was an avid golfer, a black belt in Kyokushin karate, a lover of hiking, mountain biking and the outdoors, and terrific cook of delicious, spicy food. He was most proud of his family, particularly his two young sons.

We'll all miss you my dear friend.

Our condolences to the entire Hawthorne family.

Nobody Wants To See Ashlee's Baby

Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz had a baby boy, Bronx Mowgli, last month, and the world is on pins and needles waiting for pictures of the little angel. Actually, no, not really. Page Six reports:

"ASHLEE Simpson and Pete Wentz are trying to drum up some cash by selling photos of their baby, Bronx Mowgli - but so far, no takers. A celebrity weekly insider told Page Six, "Pete and Ashlee have approached every single celebrity magazine with offers to sell their first photos, but nobody wants them. Covers of them tend not to sell well." A rep for Simpson denied it."

Rihanna and Brown face law suit by paparazzi photographer

A paparazzi photographer has filed $1 million dollar law suit against 'R&B' singers Rihanna and Chris Brown after their bodyguards allegedly assaulted him.

The photographer Luis Santana alleged that the bodyguards of the stars knocked him down and stole his camera outside a nightclub while he was trying to take the pictures of the rumoured couple, the ‘Contactmusic’ reported.

Reacting to the incident, Rihanna's publicist,

Jonathan Hay has called the lawsuit a "really unfortunate event" adding that the matter has been completely blown out of proportion.

Santana claims to have been working outside the Vintage Ultra Lounge in St. Petersburg when he clicked a picture of the pair through their limousine window. He says the stars' employees then assaulted him and took his equipment.

Santana's attorney, Paul Kimsey, claims that the stolen photographs were worth a fortune as they contained the proof of Rihana and Brown's romance.

Santana is demanding a compensation for the photographs and the stolen camera, as well as his own personal injuries and distress.

The 20-year-old singer Rihanna and the young hip-hop sensation Brown have been seen together for almost a year but neither of them have confirmed reports of being a couple.

Brad Pitt On Paparazzi: ‘I Hate These People’

Brad Pitt has some strong words for the paparazzi.

In an interview on NBC's "Today" show, Pitt said: "Let me be very blunt: I hate them. I hate these people. I don't understand ... that they do that for a living."

Pitt said there should be laws against celebrity photographers who "climb over your walls wearing camouflage and calling out your kids' names as you're trying to take them to school."

Watch the video HERE.

KANYE WEST - WEST'S MOTHER INSPIRES ACTIVISM AGAINST PAPARAZZI

Rapper KANYE WEST is convinced he'll succeed in passing a law to protect celebrities from the paparazzi - because he comes from a long line of civil rights activists.

The outspoken hitmaker demanded legislation against photographers intruding on high-profile stars after a recent brush with a snapper led to his arrest in England earlier this month (14Nov08). West was released without charge in the incident.

But he has no doubt he'll triumph in outlawing snappers' efforts to take pictures without permission, because fighting for change is in his blood.

He says, "I'm going to make a change and I think it's my responsibility. My mom got arrested for being in sit-ins at age six. My grandfather drove the first car in the marches leading out of Oklahoma. My father was an activist. So I think they're messing with the wrong celebrity right now."

And the Stronger hitmaker vows to continue to verbally attack photographers and fans on the hunt for a picture of the star - because they make him feel like a "museum animal".
He adds, "The thing about the paparazzi is the law hasn't caught up to the technology of the internet. So it's like all of these people going out and buying cameras trying to catch pictures of celebrities - not even professional photographers - and they're exploiting (us) and it's causing a by-any-means-necessary type of behaviour... where people are jumping fences and completely violating you.

"The problem I have with the paparazzi is if they're right in front of you and you're like, 'Can you please not take a picture of me?'... they just keep on taking it and talking to me like I'm stupid.
"If you're within arm's reach, I'm going to grab the camera. That just happens, and you don't expect that to happen with a celebrity because you think they're like a museum animal."

West's recent arrest in Newcastle, England, was the second such incident in as many months. The star was also arrested in September (08) after a clash with a paparazzo in Los Angeles International Airport. He was charged with felony vandalism, but it was later dropped by the L.A. County District Attorney's office.

$5 - Lexar 4GB Professional 133x CompactFlash Card (B&H Photo Video)

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Los Angeles Puts Paparazzi on the Defensive

Photographs of celebrities taking their children to school or going to a doctor's office would be prohibited under a proposal introduced today by a Los Angeles city councilman in an effort to crack down on the paparazzi.

The motion to restrict photography and visual recordings around public and private schools and hospital and medical facilities is Councilman Dennis Zine's latest effort to combat aggressive photographers.

The proposal is intended to address "locations where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy," according to Zine.

"Taking advantage of the fact that high-profile individuals must do things like send their children to school, visit hospitals and go to medical facilities, unscrupulous paparazzi frequently stake out these locations in order to capture the perfect photograph," Zine wrote.

Zine is proposing that commercial photography be banned within 20 feet of schools, hospitals and medical facilities. Exemptions would be made if the photography is requested or permitted by the school or hospital, if the subjects consent to being photographed or recorded, or if the photography is a duty of a law enforcement or government agent.

A motion to review how the paparazzi are handled at Los Angeles International Airport will be considered tomorrow by the city council's Trade, Commerce and Tourism Committee. That motion was made after rapper Kanye West was arrested at LAX for allegedly breaking a photographer's equipment.

Zine's motion was forwarded to the Public Safety Committee.

Buzz Foto Paparazzi Agency Sets a New Standard

Buzz Foto, LLC, http://www.buzzfoto.com, a leading paparazzi agency, announces that it will meet corporate growth plans through a new direction in hiring objectives. A recent statement from cofounder Brad Elterman shares that the company will focus recruitment efforts to attract the best experienced photojournalists. "We started the agency in 2006 with a talented, yet untrained, pool of photographers: we handed them a camera and showed them the ropes. With the economy as it is and the market becoming even more competitive, editors are now demanding iconic paparazzi imagery that goes beyond just a mundane photograph of Lindsay Lohan strolling down the street. They want provocative photographs that stand out."

To meet the challenge, Buzz Foto recently initiated an international call for talent. The newest addition to the roster is British freelance photojournalist Jason Mitchell. Los Angeles-based Mitchell, a fifteen-year veteran of the paparazzi circuit, has worked for numerous United Kingdom daily and monthly publications.

Henry Flores, Buzz Foto cofounder, said, "Jason just gets it. He has a trained eye, knows how to work a story, and has a deep appreciation for the craft of creating paparazzi-style images that attract the editors' eye. His Fleet Street training is a perfect complement to the Buzz Foto reputation -- courtesy and consideration that stand apart in an industry labeled for its ill tactics and misdeeds."

Says Mitchell, "Buzz Foto is an enthusiastic team with a great work ethic and talent that goes beyond the celebrity snapshot. The company's creative concept 'Paparazzi As An Art Form' is novel. It's a pleasure to work with an organization where my photographs are regarded as art and not just commercial productions."

Buzz Foto was founded by Elterman and Flores in 2006 and is staffed by a global team of photographers. The agency consistently delivers iconic imagery that appears in such outlets as People, US Magazine, NY Post, the New York Daily News, In Touch and Life & Style.

About Buzz Foto, LLC

Buzz Foto, LLC is an international paparazzi photo agency based in Los Angeles that emphasizes "Paparazzi As An Art Form." Buzz Foto iconic images of celebrities regularly grace the pages of People, US Magazine, NY Post, New York Daily News and numerous other magazines in 30 countries. Recognized not only for creating photographs with signature iconic quality, the Buzz Foto staff is regarded among the most courteous in the industry, thereby making them a 'go to' resource for media and reference. Buzz Foto has appeared on ABC World News, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, BBC World News and Extra! http://www.buzzfoto.com

Kanye Arrested Again For Assaulting Paparazzi

Rapper Kanye West was arrested after a fracas outside a nightclub but released without charge, British media reported Friday.

The Press Association news agency and others reported that that the 31-year-old rapper was detained early Friday after an incident involving a photographer outside the Tup Tup Palace bar in Newcastle, northern England.

Police said only that a 31-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assault after an incident at a nightclub. They said he was later released without charge. British police do not usually identify suspects who have not been charged.

The Tup Tup Palace said West visited the club after his gig in Newcastle Thursday but could not confirm the arrest.

A spokeswoman for West did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

West was arrested last month at Los Angeles International Airport after he was filmed struggling with a paparazzo. He was not charged.

Brad Garrett Scuffles With Paparazzi

Actor Brad Garrett has had another run-in withi paparazzi -- this time, outside Dan Tana's restaurant in West Hollywood.

The incident occurred about 9 p.m. Tuesday near the eatery at 9071 Santa Monica Blvd., according to a deputy at the sheriff's West Hollywood Station.

Celebrity news Web site TMZ.com reported that Garrett was leaving the restaurant when he got into an argument with photographers. Garrett allegedly "smacked a camera and challenged the photogs to a fight."

Video posted by TMZ showed the 6-foot-8-inch actor walking around the side of the building, followed by photographers, including one who apparently called him a "tall faggot."

According to Wikipedia, Garrett had an Aug. 13, 2007, run-in with photographers, after one of whom called him a racist for earlier comments he had made about blacks in Malibu. In that case, Garrett struck a TMZ photographer's camera, but the photographer said he was hit in the face, and that it was another photographer who called him racist.

Brad Pitt Roughed Up by Security Guard

Brad Pitt was grabbed, pushed and spun around by a plainclothes security guard at the premiere of his new movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in L.A. on Monday.

Pitt arrived at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood about a half hour before the film was scheduled to end, as he was supposed to talk to the audience and answer their questions about the film.

Some photographers knew he'd be there, and as he entered the lobby, they followed him in and attempted to take photos.

Seeing the commotion, the plainclothes security guard went after Pitt in lieu of shooing away the photographers. Oddly, the guard appeared to be clutching a brochure for a karate studio in his teeth as he manhandled the actor.

Pitt looked bewildered and shaken, but he was able to pull free and go up a stairway to escape.

The stairway only led up to bathrooms.

Pitt had to wait a bit while the lobby was cleared before he was able to walk back down without any problems.

UPDATE: In a statement, an Executive Protection Specialist tells Entertainment Tonight that he was attempting to get Pitt away from the aggressive photographers:

"We were told by Mr. Pitt's people that he was being followed by numerous paparazzi that ran a minimum of two red lights to keep up with Mr. Pitt. When Mr. Pitt arrived at the theater approximately seven paparazzi bum-rushed the front door of the theater and began to rush inside. It's security's sole priority to protect the talent and I removed Mr. Pitt immediately from what could have been a potentially dangerous situation.""We were told by Mr. Pitt's people that he was being followed by numerous paparazzi that ran a minimum of two red lights to keep up with Mr. Pitt. When Mr. Pitt arrived at the theater approximately seven paparazzi bum-rushed the front door of the theater and began to rush inside. It's security's sole priority to protect the talent and I removed Mr. Pitt immediately from what could have been a potentially dangerous situation."

SIENNA MILLER - MILLER WINS DAMAGES FROM NEWSPAPERS

Actress SIENNA MILLER has been awarded USD22,300 (GBP35,000) in damages from two British tabloid newspapers over claims they breached her privacy.

The Alfie star filed lawsuits against The Sun and the News Of The World over pictures and articles which appeared in the publications over the summer (08).

She became a target for the paparazzi in June and July (08) after it was revealed she had embarked on a relationship with married oil heir and actor Balthazar Getty - just weeks after splitting from Welsh actor Rhys Ifans.

And a lawyer for News Group Newspapers, which own the publications, has acknowledged that the tabloids "shouldn't have published such information or such photographs".

In a letter to Miller, News Group's lawyer Tom Crone wrote, "On the specific facts and circumstances of this case you had a reasonable expectation of privacy in respect of the information and the photographs that we published. We also accept that we should not have published such information or photographs."

Miller's lawyer Mark Thompson stated that the terms of the out-of-court settlement had been approved by London's High Court.

Thompson added the actress is still seeking various damages against paparazzi photograph agency Big Pictures (UK) Limited - which Miller accuses of waging a "campaign of harassment" against her.

The hearing is expected to start early next year (09).