PAPARAZZI IDENTITY
The History of the Paparazzi
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In Rome, Italy, the word was "created"
by Federico Fellini.
Director Federico Fellini was filming La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life 1960), which involved him following the "paparazzi" at the time, initially called "scandal sheet photographers." While with one of the lead actors, Tazio Secchiaroli, Fellini and Secchiaroli were caught by a group of photographers, and Fellini came up with the name "Paparazzo" for the photographer that would be adventuring with the main character. Secchiaroli was attempting to take a photo with the "King of Egypt." The name was loosely based on the word "mosquito" because the photographers had to get as close to their subject as possible to take their photos with their cameras, which took a very long time to take another photo and produced very big flashes of lights. The cameras often used by photographers during this time were Rolleiflex cameras.
Image Credits: Umberto Cicconi/Getty Images
Further Explanation of the Word
In an article published by the Guardian, the author explains how the paparazzi are depicted in La Dolce Vita. The author states:
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"In the film...the [photographers] come together like a swarm of flies and follow people, surrounding them, attacking them with their flashes...A figure, in an exaggerated tiptoeing pose...holds a camera high above his head. Lightning flashes are shooting out of it, electrifying the space before him.
In one scene in La Dolce Vita, the photographers gather in wait for a woman...who does not know of her husband's suicide...As the police drive her away, the photographers disperse. Paparazzo walks towards us, into the lens of the movie camera, until he is a blur and his own camera lens, hanging against his chest, takes up the screen. It is the last we see of him. Fellini explained that he wanted to show by this how 'our soulless photographer' was 'more of a camera than a man.'
The man on whom much of that character was based was Tazio Secchiaroli...He pioneered the punch-up style of that post-war period and had an impeccable background in artful dodges. During the war, he took to [photographing] soldiers and tourists in the street, hoping they would buy the picture as a souvenir..." (Mormorio, Diego).