Are paparazzi a problem?

The paparazzi have become as much a part of the Hollywood culture as the stars they follow. We have them to thank for the shots of Britney Spears shaving her head, Lindsay Lohan passed out drunk in a friend’s car, and Paris Hilton being carted off to jail.

So who are these people? Ruthless predators who will do anything to get the shot? Or are they hard workers playing an important role in keeping the Hollywood machine running? We take a look behind the scenes to find out.

They’re Everywhere

Celebrity photography in Los Angeles is a rapidly changing and growing industry, with an estimated 300 paps currently at work in Los Angeles.  Camping out near celebrity hot spots, these photographers lie in wait for that money shot—a pregnant celeb showing for the first time, a scandalous new couple...or Lindsay Lohan stumbling out of a club at 5 a.m.

Celebs Fight Back!

As the industry has grown, thanks in large part to the popularity of gossip magazines and websites, so too has the controversy and conflict that surrounds these photographers.  Reports of celebrities getting in physical fights with paparazzi surface almost weekly.

Britney Spears took an umbrella to a paparazzo’s car. Julia Roberts chased down a photographer she caught snapping away at her children’s school.

Brad Pitt, whose family is one of the biggest targets of paparazzi, has been vocal about his disdain for these guerrilla photographers.  “I hate these people. I don’t understand how they do that for a living,” he told the Today Show.

Publicity Power

Despite their bum rap amongst stars, Ray Murray, a journalism professor at Oklahoma State University and paparazzi expert, said that the paps are essential to the sort of inexplicable and disproportionate stardom that typifies many twenty-first century celebrities.  “You know what they say: What’s worse than having paparazzi follow you everywhere? Not having paparazzi follow you everywhere.”

While stars may complain that paparazzi court them constantly, Murray said that to certain extent celebs control how much paparazzi exposure they get. “Trust me, if you want to live a quiet life, you can do so.”

It is true too, according to Murray, that stars will use the paparazzi to drum up publicity when they have new films or albums coming out.

“You ever notice how Tom Cruise is everywhere when he has a movie coming out? And then he’s nowhere to be found when he’s between projects? Do you think that’s a coincidence?”

The Diana Dilemma

Still, there is no denying that some paparazzi are taking things to a dangerous and predatory place.  The paparazzi were infamously blamed, in part, for causing the car crash that killed Princess Diana.

Even in less dramatic cases it is clear that not all celebrities are encouraging the attention they receive from paparazzi.  Celebs including Justin Timberlake, Nicole Richie, Nicole Kidman, and Lily Allen have gone so far as to secure restraining orders against specific photographers.

Restraining orders and other legal action may not do much to rein in the paparazzi though. “I would be confident in saying little slows the paparazzi,” said Murray. “Remember paparazzi and the agencies have lawyers too.”

“The good ones don’t take no for an answer,” he said. “They get the shot no matter what.”

What do you think? Are paparazzi going too far or does being a paparazzi target come with the territory when you are a celeb?