Venice Paparazzi is an information website and photo agency for Venice, California. Documenting the westside since 2003.
Alex and Edizen Stowell started in 2003 as a photo booth on the Venice boardwalk, adding the media and event photography divisions shortly thereafter. Alex and Edizen LLC, known to all as Venice Paparazzi has blossomed into Venice longest running, and #1 website focused on connecting Venice locals with the best events and opportunities to enjoy paradise by the sea. Enjoy!
2023: The Year in Review for team Venice Paparazzi
A message from VP team leader Alex Stowell.
Spoiler alert! We smashed 2023! But there were some huge challenges on the way! The year started off great! After a 2 year scare, Edizen was declared cancer free in Dec. 2022. It had been 3 months since her chemotherapy and radiation treatments ended, and we were feeling optimistic. We did Sweat Yoga’s January 31 day yoga challenge and were back to training Jiu Jitsu 5 days a week. Then on Feb. 3rd, 2023, Edizen’s appendix burst and she had emergency surgery for gangrenous appendicitis. Damn! So there we were, back in the hospital, with Edizen having her 4th organ removed in less than a year. The recovery was a bitch, and Edizen, still detoxing from chemo, was in excruciating pain for extended periods of time. Not stoked at all, we got mad and dug in, focused, made the adjustments, and kept going. It took most of the year for Edizen to get out of pain and start feeling anywhere near good again, but she did it! And she is now in full form, back to the force of nature status that is her true self.
In March, Alex started putting the July 29, 2023 Venice Beach Games event together. With initial support from the Venice Beach Business Improvement District, Alex worked tirelessly for five months to produce the Venice Beach Games. And what a smashing success it was! An entire Venice Beach Rec. Center take over offering free fitness and classes and competitions to the entire community. There were over 20,000 attendees and 130+ organizations involved. Alex worked with the City of Los Angeles Dept. of Rec.& Parks and Los Angeles City Council District 11 in order to produce the event, and also secured sponsorship from: the U.S. Army, C4 Energy, Quantum Squares, Hoopla, Superbloom, RIPD Calisthenics, LA28, and Thumzup Media. View coverage here!
Venice Paparazzi’s Alex and Edizen with L.A. City Council Woman Traci Park at the Venice Beach Games
As the summer proceeded and Edizen got better, the Venice Paparazzi team was busy setting up photo booths and providing event photography to level up local events.
We have added some very cool new photo booths to our arsenal, including our Boomerang Booth and 360 Booth. The Boomerang is a low cost, small footprint activation that brings huge fun to the party with boomerang videos and photos. The 360 Booth makes rad, multi speed videos of people standing on a circular platform while the camera spins around them at eye level. Thankfully, our list of clients continues to grow and repeat customers keep calling back!
In Dec. of 2023 we did 28 activations in a 17 day span. Our clients included: AEG, L.A. County Beaches and Harbor, Venice Chamber of Commerce, Marina Del Rey Boat Parade, City of West Hollywood, Runway Playa Vista, Terranea Resort, Neuehouse, Hotel Erwin, and more! To accommodate the work load, we have added several new talented photographers and photo booth operators to our line.
Having an event in 2024 and need a photo booth or event photographers? HireVP.com
Our online presence and website traffic continue to grow for both VenicePaparazzi.com and VisitVeniceCA.com, a.k.a. DiscoverVeniceBeach.com, as does our email newsletter subscriber list. It is always fun to be out and about talking with people who disclose, “I follow you guys,” or “I read your article about that.”
Though the start of the year was rough, we hit the finish line full speed with a big smile on our faces. We are looking forward to crushing 2024 along with you!
VP Fun Facts:
Edizen shares the same birthday date Nov. 16, with Venice’s founder Abbot Kinney.
Alex and Edizen met at the boxing bag at Muscle Beach Gym in Venice, California on Aug. 15, 2000. They have been best friends ever since.
Alex is a serious musician, and plays heavy, heavy music. His Death Metal band WARSEED released a new single on NYE 2024, the track is titled The New Face of War. You can listen here.
Venice Paparazzi’s Alex Stowell is the founder and event producer of the Venice Beach Games.
Venice Paparazzi’s Edizen Stowell was one of the co-founders of the Venice Art Crawl.
Venice Paparazzi celebrates 16 years of Venice Chamber of Commerce membership, and 14 years of being on the Board of Directors. Alex Stowell is the Chamber’s Tourism Chair.
Edizen is starting two passion projects that she has long wanted to do:
1. Edizen holds a National Title in Women’s Boxing, and a Blue Belt in Jiu Jitsu from Rey Diogo/Carlson Gracie Team. She is launching a project called Venice Self Defense. Her aim is to empower people to defend and protect themselves, perhaps even save some lives. Want to learn self defense, or get better at it? Come join! Find out, fan, and follow her journey!
2. A highly successful and extremely technically skilled photographer, Edizen has long wanted to start the Venice Beach Photo Club, to share her gift with others. Love photography? Come join! Find out, fan, and follow her journey!
Awards!
Venice Paparazzi has received awards from U.S. Congress, California State Legislature, the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, the Venice Chamber of Commerce, & more!
Venice Paparazzi was selected by State Assemblywoman Autumn Burke as the Local Business of the Month.
Venice Paparazzi’s co-founder Edizen received the Spirit of Venice Award in 2015. Since 1989, the Abbot Kinney Festival Association has recognized exemplary stakeholders nominated by the community for their contributions to the spirit, creativity and uniqueness of Venice.
The City of Los Angeles Certificate of Recognition reads “The City of Los Angeles celebrates the Spirit of Venice Awardee Edizen Stowell and gratefully salutes her leadership and dedication to our neighborhoods. Edizen’s unwavering commitment to the community has impacted countless people while improving and enhancing our quality of life. Through such steadfast dedication and caring deeds, Edizen has helped to make the City of Los Angeles a better place to which to live.”
Like what we do? Let’s partner up in 2024!
- Hire Venice Paparazzi for your photo booth and event photography needs!
- Advertise with Venice Paparazzi and Discover Venice Beach.
- Get on the Official 2024 Venice Destination Guide.
- Drop us a donation via Pay Pal @venicepaparazzi
- Drop a donation via Venmo @venice_paparazzi
- Contact Alex Stowell at [email protected] or 310 922 8456
Alex and Edizen at the inaugural Venice Art Crawl event in 2010
Here is more info on what we do!
Website One: VenicePaparazzi.com
Website Two: VisitVenice.com, aka DiscoverVeniceBeach.com
About our photo agency:
We travel! Although we are based in Venice, California and specialize in the Southern California area we are available for travel all over the United States!
Check out our service site HireVP.com.
Venice Paparazzi founders Alex and Edizen with their first photo booth on the Venice Boardwalk. 2003-2005
Here is how we got the name Venice Paparazzi.
This was our first paid photography gig in Pacific Palisades in 2004. The client found us working at our photo booth on the Venice Boardwalk. Wow look at that printing set up. Old school. Our gear back then included a 2.0 Kodak camera tethered into a 13 inch T.V., a milk carton, and a pink mirror. Oh goodness! How funny!
IN THE PRESS:
Venice Paparazzi featured on Venice Living Magazine!
A big fist bump to the super fun and talented staff at Venice Living for putting this together! Thank you Carole Stine, Betty Bailey and Sam Diephuis for telling our story! Go team! View feature!
Venice Paparazzi featured on Westside Current!
Looking Back…Reflecting on How Far We’ve Come! Check out this incredible feature on our history/story in Venice by Westside Current Los Angeles’ Doug Rapp. View feature on westsidecurrent.com
Venice Beach Games featured on Hoopla!
Check out this feature on Venice Paparazzi’s Alex, Founder and Producer of The Venice Beach Games!
Venice Beach Games featured in Westside Current!
Check out this feature on Venice Paparazzi’s Alex, Founder of and Producer of Venice Beach Games.
Like what we do? Let’s partner up in 2024!
- Hire Venice Paparazzi for your photo booth and event photography needs!
- Advertise with Venice Paparazzi and Discover Venice Beach.
- Get on the Official 2024 Venice Destination Guide.
- Drop us a donation via Pay Pal @venicepaparazzi
- Drop a donation via Venmo @venice_paparazzi
- Contact Alex Stowell for more info.
Thank you! We love you!
