Photography Legal Case

Lucia Aguilar

Period 3, Mr.Wilson

31-5-14

Should Laws Prohibit Photographers from Taking Pictures of Famous Children?

In September of 2013, Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry argued against paparazzi’s freedom to harass and block them and their children from entering or exiting cars or buildings. In this case we have two mothers who just wish to protect their kids from the constant torments the paparazzi provide. Making it difficult to get anywhere in public, the photographers are always following Garner as she takes her kids to ballet, the pediatrician or just to school. She says, “...paparazzi swarm, large aggressive men swarm us causing a mob scene.” In fact, because so many paparazzi follow her and her family around, it has given stalkers a better chance at getting close to her kin. This has been a scary and unmanageable thing to deal with. Halle Berry agrees, saying she finds it hard to walk into a market or even leaver her car without tons of photographing men in her way, getting in her face as well as her child’s.

As justification, you may say that it’s the photographer’s right to shoot anyone they want in any public space, or that these people shouldn’t be complaining because they’re rich and famous. In terms of rights, yes photographers can take pictures from any public ground and taking pictures of children is not prohibited, either. And even though they’re rich and famous, it doesn’t mean their children deserve to have their parents’ fame thrust upon  them. Just because your parents are famous, doesn’t mean you deserve to have cameras in your face too. Overall, I think that photographers have a lot of freedom that could be easily taken away from them. It’s important to keep a good name and reputation for you and people who do the same things as you can keep your privilege and not get everyone into trouble with it. In the end, a bill restricting paparazzi’s rights was passed and it made a maximum of 6-10 months of jail time and a $10,000 fine instead of $1,000. Sense then, there have been little to no paparazzi problems with Berry and Garner.