Photo: Ziogiucas / CC BY-SA 3.0

How would you feel having countless numbers of flashing cameras in your face all the time?

That’s what many celebrities go through on a daily basis. Most people say that celebrities “ask for it” when they get into the business. I beg to differ. I’ve argued for years that the paparazzi not only endanger the lives of celebrities but those of innocent bystanders and their own as well. And for what? A shot at fame and money. There have been many paparazzi incidents over the years either where someone got hurt or a celebrity fought back.

One of the most famous cases was that of Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash that was partially blamed on the paparazzi. Two more recent examples come from pop star Justin Bieber. The first being an incident where a paparazzo was killed trying to take pictures of the Biebs’ Ferrari. Bieber spoke out on the issue, calling for stricter laws on the paparazzi. Unfortunately, that hasn’t changed anything as many more incidents have happened with other celebrities. Another situation happened just last week when Bieber was in London for his Believe Tour. The singer rushed out of a hotel to, shockingly, the flashing of dozens of cameras. A photographer shouted obscenities to one of Bieber’s bodyguards. That sparked outrage in Bieber, who’d already had a tough week. He hopped out of his van and lashed out at the photographer before being led back into the van by his bodyguards.

It was ashame that the photogarpher initiated the whole situation but Bieber has been the one getting trounced by the media for his actions. And it doesn’t just happen to him. That’s the problem with our society today: we put these celebrities on a pedestal and criticize them, even in some cases when they were in the right. The Huffington Post talked to Jennifer Graylock, a professional photographer, on the difference between “red carpet” photographers and the paparazzi. She said that the main disparity between the two is that “red carpet” photographers are crendentialed and are invited to the events they photograph. The paparazzi are not invited and normally take pictures of celebrities on the street without consent.  Graylock also cited that credentialed photographers respect their subjects and will stay a certain distance away from them while the paparazzi will often get right in the face of their subjects. 

Something needs to be done about this. There have been too many incidents involving celebrities and the paparazzi. I understand they need to make a living too but, come on. Enough is enough. I wouldn’t want the job of getting into the faces of celebrities to take pictures and to piss them off because of it. It’s just ridiculous.

What do you think? Should something be done about the paparazzi? Sound off by commenting below.