L.A.'s Youngest Paparazzo Shoots for Hollywood Success

  By Wendy Burch

In Hollywood, more and more young stars are being thrust into the spotlight at early ages. But on the other side of the camera, one local teen is cashing in on taking pictures of those celebrities -- and at 14, he may be L.A.'s youngest paparazzo.

Fourteen-year-old Austin Visschedyk usually walks to work. But he's not on his way to make minimum wage in some summer job -- he's actually working to get the money shot.

The 9th grader is the youngest person we know of to ever join the ranks of the paparazzi. Armed with a $7,000-dollar camera and a cell phone, this kid is connected.

It's at places like The Ivy where Austin can cash in. Just a few months ago, he sold a picture for $2,000-dollars.

How many hours does young Austin hang out on a street to get a shot?

"Six. Six a day," said Austin. "That's a full day's work."

But being the new kid on the block and all, we wondered how he fits in with his fellow photographers.

"Some of those heavier guys can knock me over pretty easy," said Austin. "But I am friends with a lot of them."

And he's also becoming a familiar face among many of the rich and famous -- many of them will look right into his young lens.

But don't let the milk and cookies fool you -- this kid means business.

"I am one of those die-hard paparazzi," said Austin. "I jump fences, and hop over cars, and whatever I have to do to get a shot."

Whatever he has to do -- even if that means asking his mom to stay out past curfew.

"We have a strict 10 p.m. curfew," said Austin's mom, Jane Siberts. "And if he is at a restaurant and a major star is there, and I say call me back in 15 minutes."

But why would a ninth grader want to work so hard just to capture someone else's moment?

"I have lived in this area my whole life, and just felt it was finally time to try to fit into the whole Hollywood atmosphere," said Austin.

And will this kid make it big in this town? We think he's got a pretty good shot.

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