The Audience
You might wonder who would actually pay for such an indulgence. According to the latest news articles that feature this concept, there is a wide range of people who are willing to ante up the money to pay for such an experience. From a couple celebrating a pregnancy to a group of men at a bachelor’s party to older people out for a night on the town, there is something to meet almost anyone’s desires. But some people don’t feel the need to wait for a special event, rather choosing to indulge in this extravagance just to feel important for a night. In addition, some clients who go this route are even actors, actresses and other people starting out in the entertainment field who hire fake paparazzi just to start a buzz around their name and to try to attract the real thing in the process.
The Cost
What you can spend on your own paparazzi depends a great deal on what you want. One of the more popular companies, called Celeb-4-A-Day, has several locations and offers packages at different rates depending on the geographic area and the demand that exists. The smallest packages start at around $300 for a 30-minute experience of being flocked by four photographers. For those who desire a more intense experience, the rates can go up to about $2,500 for two hours of all-star treatment, including six photographers, a publicist and bodyguards. These prices are similar to many of the competitors, such as Boston’s Paparazzi for Hire, which starts at $499 for half an hour and goes on up to just under $2,500 for the full works with bodyguard and publicist.
Some private photographers also offer one-on-one paparazzi attention, with the rates starting at about $200 and going up from there. And one New York City photographer, whose website can be found at MethodIzaz, gives personalized quotes depending on a client’s needs, but one customer says she paid $600 to have the photographer follow her anonymously and capture “a day in her life” through an artful series of photographs. Another company, called Private Paparazzi in San Diego, allows customers to select how few, or how many, photographers they want for their step into the limelight. At a cost of $75 an hour for each photographer, people can customize the best approach for their budget and their goals.