Famous Photographers

Ron Galella - 1931 - The Paparazzo Extraordinaire

Called the the Godfather of U.S. paparazzo by both Vanity Fair and Time Magazine and as The Paparazzo Extraordinaire by Newsweek, Ron Galella is one of the most controverisal photographers in history.

His career as a celebrity photography has been a long one, and to get the photos that appear in such magazines as Vanity Fair, Vogue, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and Life - amongst many others - hes tested many stars patience. He has had shows at the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate in London and other museums. Thats the good news. In order to get the photographs that have made him celebrated and wealthy, he has taken significant risks and has irritated many celebrities. Hes been beaten by body guards, hosed down, punched in the jaw, and had his tires slashed by the likes of Richard Burton, Marlon Brando, Brigitte Bardot and Elvis Presley. And he was sued by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis not once but twice.

The Kennedy episodes went on for years, and she tried to keep him away with a restraining order, but he took some of the most amazing shots of her that exist. And with some degree of affection John Kennedy Jr. had the order lifted after his mothers death and never complained about photos that Galella took of him.

As more and more paparazzi are considered the scourge of the industry, Galelle has been around long enough that even though he is one of them, hes also above it all.
He commands the highest prices around for celebrity shots and he still gets good ones.
Perhaps since Kennedys death, he just isnt as obsessed as he used to be. photos