Editor's Blog Jun 12th 2012
Photography Wars!
I have never liked press packs, the pressure to get that one good shot can lead many photographers to become obnoxious in the extreme. When covering big events I like my space, jostling for the best position leaves me angry and drained.
Normally I will go for one of the flanking positions and set up away from the herd, with telephoto and camera set to repetition will get me at least a couple of usable images.
Sticking a camera in someone’s face is considered rude by many of the less inclined and private celebrities, the others I call frame whores and they are kind of ok with it.
Over the last few years there have been many instances of celebrities losing their cool to the paparazzi, which ends up with photographers being slapped upside the head and broken camera equipment. One of the most infamous incidents of our time, the untimely death of Lady Diana, if you believe the out come of the Paris enquiry that the paparazzi had contributed to the accident. That and of course Henri Pauls drinking.
Being a freelance photographer in the world of paparazzi can lead to some unscrupulous individuals, like the fellow that snapped Sarah Ferguson in the toe-sucking incident, but was he unscrupulous? Sarah and her Hallux loving partner were not hidden; actually one may even say that they had set themselves up for the paparazzi.
But with there being no honour amongst thieves as they say, there is certainly no honour amongst press photographers and TV camera operators; I saw some pretty ugly (always wanted to use that in a blog) scenes yesterday, where the pressure can get to people who have not done their homework.
Pushing, leap frogging out of the official press pen and totally ignoring the police requests to stay in the designated area, spoiling it for the views and in some cases for other photographers.
I got my money shot and got out relatively unscathed, keeping to the old infantry saying, shoot and scoot. Once I have the picture I honestly do not want to be pushed around by my own ilk, after all it’s a small fraternity in a small pond.
Ed.
