The term paparazzi was used by Frederico Fellini to refer to a character in his 1960 film, La dolce vita. It refers to the noisy buzzing of a mosquito and certainly seems an apt description for the swarm of photographers that hover in the presence of celebrities.

According to The New York Times “people paparazzi” are swelling the ranks of professional photographers pursuing celebrities. Now anyone with a camera–or a cell phone–can join the pursuit.