According to gossip site TMZ a paparazzo photographer was killed while trying to take pictures of Justin Bieber's Ferrari during a traffic stop earlier today near the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Details are still developing, but apparently Justin Bieber was not in the car when it happened.
The photographer had been following the Ferrari when it was pulled over by California Highway Patrol. The photographer stepped out of his own vehicle to take a few pictures when CHP asked the photographer to step back because it was unsafe. Some undetermined time afterwards the photographer was hit by an oncoming vehicle and died of his injuries. Authorities say that the accident was not alcohol related and are still investigating. We will update this post when more information is available.
We see what happens when mixing paparazzi and dangerous situations on the road, like with Princess Diana's death in 1997. Should paparazzi be allowed to snap these images when they are endangering not only others, but themselves too?
Via: TMZ
some photographers are just creepy.
I don't think I will ever understand the paparazzi's mindset when they take these pictures. I respect people's privacy too much to be invasive like that, I suppose.
The mindset is MONEY!! ;)
Lots and lots of it
they make a lot of money with those photos, that's all there is to it, they could probably care less about the celebrity him/herself
I think "paparazzi" relates to "photographer" as "sith" relates top "jedi".
It doesn't matter whether or not they're allowed, they will still do it!
Accidents happen. Especially when dumb people are involved.
No sympathy for the paparazzi, but you have to feel sorry for the driver that now has to live with having killed someone.
No sympathy for a lost human life?
Honestly, I have no more respect for a paparazzi than for a leech or a tick.
So we should mourn every human death? I dont. Some deaths can be avoid and this is just one of them. He died for doing something stupid and I have very little tolerance and respect for that.
This photog died doing his job. While its a job that some respect and many dont respect, I think that there are plenty of people in this world that do very worst things than take photos of people for money.
No.. too much human lives in the world already....
Whom should we get rid of? Should we start with you?
Well said.
As long as we all continue to buy the magazines and watch the shows featuring celebrity gossip there will always be paparazzi. It's just another job. Behind the camera is just another person with friends, family and children just like all of us. It is a tragic situation. I feel sorry for his loved ones and for all of those involved in the accident.
Except, they don't have honor. They might have been just a human, but they've chosen to make money from abusing other people and their rights. They could have become a honest photographer, if they wanted.
It also begs the question should a 18 year old be driving a high performance Ferrari??
If I was still 18, then I would say yes for sure - as long as said Ferrari did not have baby-blue emblems!
I don't think that question needs begged at all...he's 18, has a licence, and there's no laws against anyone of legal age with ability to drive any high performance vehicles...your point? None. If you seriously think there should be a law against driving certain vehicles at certain ages, then start the legal process of changing the laws in your state...but you won't get much support.
I have some sympathy for the photographer, but not too much. Wish the photog was smart enough and had higher values (as in, his life) then to sell out for some cash. Work will come and go but your life is lost once it's gone. And I definitely feel sorry for the person who hit the photog. We don't know the full story, so I can only imagine it wasn't pretty...
I was a news videographer a few years ago, and my producer at the time (new, and was stupid probably like this photog) asked me to put myself in a quite dangerous position just to get a story/shot. I point blanked stared into her eyes and plainly said, "I have a future wife and my family that I want to see again. If you want this shot, you get it."
She tried to get me in trouble with management, and they were starting to buy it because our competitor station got the story (it wasn't even a story worth the prime-time slot they gave it on the newscast), but once they realized the situation I was fine. She ended up getting reprimanded soon afterwards.
1. Paparazzi should be allowed to photograph whatever they want, as long as the subject can retaliate without prosecution..
2. That is the ugliest 458 i have ever seen..
3. Almost every car available today can do well over any speed limit..
what do you want to say to that .... ?
Humans are stupid, not just paparazzi !
As much as most pro photographers hate to admit it (me included!), paparazzi are still photographers and are doing a form of it. I find it, in most cases, sleazy, intrusive and obnoxious but it's still a form photography. Most of celebrities hate it but without paparazzi they wouldn't be nearly as ingrained in society's minds. Which is in direct relationship to various forms of income generated as a result of their 'buzz' created, in many ways, by the hated paparazzi.
You know, it'd be really interesting if fstoppers did a strong piece on paparazzi photographers....? Hmm... or maybe I will and submit to you guys?
Accidents happen unfortunately and I have seen a number of accidents and falls etc because someone is either looking through a viewfinder or looking at there mobile phone or simply listening to music. The fact that the guy was photographing some guys Ferrari is really irrelevant!
If I die taking a photo, it will most certainly have nothing to do with Justin Bieber. What a sad final moment.
Is the loss of life unfortunate? Yes. But that's about where my sympathy for the tog ends. The fascination with celebrity is completely lost on me, so why oneself would endanger themselves and others and not listen to police authority for the sake of a photo or two is ridiculous. As of now, the only reason anyone cares anything about the picture is because the tog died taking it. I hardly think that was his ultimate goal when he stepped out of his car with camera in hand. Another forgettable story out of Hollywood. It's sad this guy put his life on the line for it...
Celebrities and Photographers are both at fault with sticky situations like this. Every person embarking to become a celebrity knows the perks and of course, the limelight that would follow. If you don't want 'creepy' photographers exposing your personal life, then rather become something less exposed. Paparazzi on the other hand created the 'culture' itself. Its a catch 22 really, but alas I believe the paparazzi created all this negativity right from the start. I just can't imagine way back celebrities asking to record they're personal life anyway.
While all the details are not fully known yet... It does lead one to think about these idiots and they're actions...for what a stupid image of what the celebrity was wearing that day ? Or capturing a celebrities bad day... If people would stop buying the bullshit tabloids that never tell a storey as it actually happens instead of planting a bad seed in peoples minds...which bring me back to the actual idiots that go out after these people. Albiet that Beiber is from my hometown is beside the point and the car is not all that spectacular and Bieber wasn't even in it..I also believe that people like that get what they deserve... To put other lives at risk is not an excuse or a right to obtain a photo.
Riker.
www.rikervp.nl
bad journalism, sorry.
Did anyone catch the irony here? "Details are still developing, but apparently Justin Bieber was not in the car when it happened." This is so sad.
we don't need more laws that regulate how, what or when a photographer can take pictures of....
I don't think anyone is implying this. But when you are told NOT to do something by authorities and do it anyway because of SAFETY, that's where the tog crossed the line. It was poor judgment that cost him his life, all for the sake of something that would be published and forgotten seconds later. I'm pretty sure paparazzi, the ones who write their checks and the narcissitic celebs are the only ones who really care about the work paparazzi do.
one down, a few more to go...
This is plain stupid.
justin drives a ferarri? Who knew? Who cared?
and yes, my prayers go out to justin and the toyota driver. They don't need this. Nor do his friends driving the car. Nor the cop. Nor the photogarpher's afmily, although if they were living off the avails so to speak, then they are just as culpable as teh photgrapher.
Was the photographer hoping for a headline "Canadian singer gets California speeding ticket?" Why? Again, who would care?
no, not a man...a paparazzo...
The Paparazzi is Just doing his job, what puts meals on the table for his family and Gas in the car. Its not his fault that someone hit him, The driver of the car should have being paying attention enough to be able to react.
just like it's not a soldiers' fault when a grenade kills a child? he was just doing his job and putting food on the table...
I don't think its the Driver's fault on this one. The pap was too dumb to actually look where he was walking into and not minding his surroundings.
Quite ironic that TMZ is reporting this when they themselves are one of the sources of photographers trying to get stories and thus putting them in danger.
Honestly, some of the comments on here are really poor and you should feel poor about yourselves for posting such rubbish as 'One down few more to go'. Have some humanity, regardless of job, no-one deserves to die for taking pictures.
tell that to princess Diana...
If you really want to get onto that subject - I suppose the pissed chauffeur driving beyond his capabilities had nothing whatsoever to do with it. "Tell that to Princess Diana" - what a juvenile statement to make.
and running around trying to earn a buck chasing nobodies is a very smart and grownup thing to do...
He ruined a fantastic car... GROSS.
I don't think he was a photographer at all. yes he was taking pictures. but that doesn't make him a photographer. certainly not a pro. Putting him on this page glorifies him. Sad he died, but one could argue he shouldn't even have been there. A parasite at best.
Should have used a wider lens.
The reality is that information sells; it's an industry that the celebrities, the photographer and the general public buys into. For every person who thinks what papparazzo do is gross and stupid, there are a bunch more clicking on websites to see what this or that celebrity is up to, and pictures sell the story. A man died feeding the public's depraved hunger for this information and perhaps that should give everyone pause for thought