I’m expecting mixed reactions to this news, but… I’ve just started a new job! AS A PAPARAZZO! Yup, a bona fide, real deal, oft-hated celebrity photographer. Thanks to the glorious world of Twitter, I saw an ad for a pap job, wrote a damn good cover letter explaining why I was the perfect person for it, and 2 days later got a call from a celebrity photo agency that distributes photos through Splash News, who “provide images to publications ranging from People Magazine, Us Weekly, Variety and Rolling Stone and to newspapers such as The New York Post, LA Times and USA Today.” And so it seems I am now a “NY-based celebrity/news photographer who’s also shooting news events, red carpet, film sets and musical performances in and throughout NYC”.

I know the paparazzi get a bad rep and are generally seen as rude, intrusive, and ruthless… but I prescribe to a different belief system and intend on breaking the mold and being respectful with my camera. If I’m asked not to shoot, I won’t. If I’m in the way of the set, I’ll move. If I see a celebrity out and about with their baby, I won’t be sticking a lens in its face. So with my moral scruples in tact, I begin a new career path. I have no idea how long it’ll last or how lucrative it’ll be, but it’s right for me at the present time.

 
And now, for my first adventure as a paparazzo…

After a few days where the weather was blah and I barely left the house, I got a little stircrazy and, after hearing word that Wall Street 2 was filming in the Financial District, impulsively went into Manhattan on a Sunday night. Apparently Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf were filming a scene in the Broad St subway station. Of course the station entrances were blocked off, so I hung around outside for awhile with a few other folks. I noticed a trio of girls were waiting to see Shia, and occasionally they’d ask a crew member for the status of the shoot and whether he’d be coming out soon. One advised them to walk down the block, eastward, to catch him. So I followed them, and none of us really knew where to go. They stopped at the other subway entrance, asked another crew member, and were pointed toward the trailers the next block over. Just as the 4 of us reached the trailers, we caught a glimpse of Shia LeBeouf darting into his trailer. One of the girls, allegedly a 10-year-old superfan, immediately burst into tears. To appease her, another crew member told her to hold on a minute, and that Shia would emerge in a minute.

We eagerly awaited outside his trailer. Before I knew it, a small, sharply-dressed guy was standing on the steps, calling out to me. I think he said something like “hey, how’s it going?”. I impulsively swiveled my camera around, off my shoulder, and Shia immediately says “please, don’t!” 3 or 4 times to me. I was sort of stunned, as it all happened so fast. Then I thought how sad it was that the poor guy must automatically turn on his anti-photog mode the second he sees any big camera pointed at him. I almost felt bad for him. At the same time, I was floored at the way he handled it. He could have easily been mean about it, flicked me off, yelled at me, or made demands. Instead, he practically begged me not to take his picture. I couldn’t help but put the camera down and tell him I’d respect that. He thanked me, and went over to the other 3 girls. The young superfan was pretty much speechless and had one of the others speak to him, and she said something about how they’d seen him at the Kid’s Choice Awards and asked to have a picture taken with him. So I let them have their moment, and it was just so cute. I would have felt like a douchebag if I’d ruined their moment with my camera.

Afterwards, Shia said goodbye to them and walked past me and to another trailer across the street, and thanked me again. I sort of just stood there for the next 5 minutes, digesting what had just happened. Then I hear someone calling out on the street to me, and I see it’s him waving to me and saying “thank you, again”. The whole experience made me a little teary-eyed. I don’t know much about him, but based on his actions tonight I’d say Shia LaBeouf is a class act. I was beyond impressed by his politeness and respectfulness. Other celebrities should take note!