An average “pap” photo is sold for roughly £200 now, whereas fifteen years ago, photographers could charge upwards of £1,000 per photo.
Mark Condon of Shotkit said: “Some people might disagree with seeing celebrity photos strewn across the media, but the long and short of it is, if there’s demand for something, then there will be supply.
“Paparazzi photography is like any other industry in how it works, if a magazine is willing to pay for a photograph of a celeb because its readers want to see it, then someone will fill that position.”
The top five most expensive paparazzi photos ever sold are:
Princess Diana and a lover – $6,000,000 / £4,700,000
Anna Nicole Smith deceased framed by a body bag – $1,500,000 / £1,170,000
Photos from the wedding of Anna Nicole Smith and Howard K Stern wedding – $1,000,000 / £779,000
Images of a baby Apple Martin – $1,000,000 / £779,000
Last photos of Daniel Smith (son of Anna Nicole Smith) – $675,000 / £524,000