Owyhee Paparazzi

Thursday May 7 2009

I was in the LA airport recently, walking in the door to check in for my flight when i was passed by a guy running by with his camera.

Celebrity alert!

As I stood in line I watched, and soon several legs and camera lenses flew past the windows, then suddenly - some guy (or gal) in a black-hooded sweatshirt was swarmed, and, flash flash flash! Strobe light camera flashes in the hood's face!

Who was the celebrity? Who cares - I am fascinated by the photographers. What do they do, come stake out the airport and wait all day hoping a celebrity worthy of photos will come? (They obviously get tipped off, to know where to wait, otherwise the chances would be nil of being at the right door for 20 seconds.) Do they work for themselves? Are they assigned by magazines? Is the airport their best bet, or do they have other places, and how many celebrities do they get on an average day? Does it pay the bills, that one hooded sweatshirt on Tuesday? What do they think of what they do - running like a pack of rat terriers and flashing someone in the face? Would I ever do that?

Well, I do, in a way. I stake out the place here in Owyhee (exact location vague, so as to protect the celebrities here), look out the window and see Jose cavorting around, or Mac and Finny kissing, or Rhett scratchin' an itch, or Dudley fixin' to get himself into trouble, or Jose and Mac being naughty (playing with Not Toys), or someone looking filthy dirty, or a bunch of them passed out from partying, or a bunch of them looking like drowned rats, or Stormy just looking gorgeous in general, and I throw everything down and run outside with my professional cameras and lenses, one in my hand changing settings as I run, the other slung around my neck, to catch them in the act, to expose their beautiful faces and bodies to the world.

They really don't mind, and generally are used to the crazy paparazzi person here, and usually continue with their activities and gorgeousness without interruption. Stormy is very lens-conscious and knows how to pose very well.

However, if too many paparazzi showed up here, the equine celebrities might clam up or start avoiding the lenses and I wouldn't have any exclusives. Hence the vague location, and the keeping of my celebrities to myself.