The Photojournalist: October 2007 Archives

It was our time to be just like the paparazzi today, at least I'm sure that's what the perception is. One of our staff photographers, Raul Roa was in court to photograph a drunk driver accused of running over and killing a 15-year-old kid. The courtroom allowed Raul to shoot in court and he did his best to get a photo of the woman, Melissa Serrato, but she pulled some hair in front of her face obscuring it from view. This is the photo of her in court.

Raul Roa/Staff©

Raul knew he didn't have a clean photo of her face and decided to go outside and wait for her to leave the courthouse.

(FYI: The rules of the court are that court approved photos do have limits when on the premisses of the courthouse. Photos can only be shot inside the courtroom and designated places inside the courthouse. In most cases, there are not limitations outside the courthouse where it is considered public.)

Raul waited outside on the sidewalk and she with her attorney came around a corner, spotted Raul, and moved back inside the building. Raul was then verbally attacked by people who yelled at him saying he was invading her privacy. He got this photo of her before she moved behind a corner.

Raul Roa/Staff©

Paparazzi photograph with the idea that the photos they get will make them money due to how valuable the people are that they photograph, whether they are in the news or not. Photojournalists shoot with the idea the photos they shoot due to the news value.

Imagine now the celebrities feel now when they get arrested for drugs or drunk driving. News value, and valuable news with the paparazzi rubbing shoulders with the news photographers. News photographers, in general, don't like it when they have to hang with the paparazzi to shoot celebrities in trouble, but for the news photographer, shooting the celebrity isn't much different than shooting Melissa Serrato.