

For example, he once worked for a hair care brand that staged paparazzi photos of its ambassador, Katie Holmes. Tyler Williams, CEO of beauty PR firm Nouveau Communications, says staged photographs are often designed as covert ads. “A celebrity’s stylist will sometimes say, ‘Hey, will you get this girl walking down the street? I just styled her and she looks great,’” John says. Justin came out, big smile on his face, and answered the questions.”Īnd then there are the straight-up posed shots. Same time, come right here and he’ll be ready for you.’ The next day, I came right to the gym, stood right there, and a car came. “ came out and said, ‘Cesar, you know he knows you, ask that same exact question tomorrow. “With Justin Bieber - I asked him a specific question, but he was having a bad day,” says Cesar Peña, a paparazzi photographer, videographer, and founder of 247PapsTV. Other staged pictures don’t require such meticulous planning, but emerge out of necessity. “To me, that’s a set-up photograph,” he says. “You see those shots in The Daily Mail every day.” He also points to Hailey Bieber, who has a habit of attending the same pilates class at the same time every week, much to the delight of paparazzi.

“How is the photographer at the gas station? They’re following her the whole time … Those shots don’t exist unless they’re sort of planned,” John says. “The people putting it on are hoping you’ll be there to shoot, even though they may take pains to keep you out with security.” There are also the loosely-coordinated “candids,” like a picture of Kendall Jenner at the gas station. “When people are going to an event, is set up,” a veteran Los Angeles street-style photographer - we’ll call him John - tells Bustle. Many paparazzi operate in the gray area between candid and staged, photographing stars who want to be seen out and about, even if they don’t act like it.

When it comes to staged celebrity moments, photos like Rihanna’s - and other shots by Diggs, who’s known for his set-up work - are the tip of the iceberg.
#Paparazzi photos how to#
Below, three experts discuss how they’re set up, and how to spot them in a sea of photos that look too good to be true. Staged paparazzi photos like these are far from a new phenomenon, but according to industry insiders, they’ve become increasingly popular in recent years. But then, you realize: Why would a billionaire singer-entrepreneur be outside in the dead of winter, belly exposed to the world, if not for the camera? Rihanna and her boyfriend A$AP Rocky look fairly unposed, as if they were just spied on a stroll - and in theory, photographer Miles Diggs could have caught them off-guard on a snowy Manhattan corner. The pictures, which cost a whopping $1,500 to license, appeared to be candids - at least upon first glance. It’s a rather quiet day on social media until Rihanna decides to drop a bombshell: paparazzi photos revealing her pregnant stomach, dripped out in vintage Chanel.
