L.A. SPEAK

Some selected newspaper-photographer lingo as reported by Times photographer Rick Meyer:

Bang bang-- n . Any assignment that involves firearms shooting.

Bulletproof-- adj. Overdeveloped or overexposed film so dense it could stop a bullet. Crash and burn-- n. An assignment that involves a crash, fire or both.

Gang bang-- n. A news event where there are numerous photographers. (We thought we had the exclusive, but it turned out to be a gang bang. )

Grip and grin-- n. A photograph of a handshake or check passing.

Hail Mary-- n. A photo taken without looking through the viewfinder, as when a photographer holds the camera above a crowd and shoots. (I couldn’t get near Madonna, so I just pulled a Hail Mary. )

Perp walk-- n. A photograph of an accused criminal being walked from one location to another by police officers.

Run and gun-- n. An assignment shot under tight time conditions.

Show the flag-- v. When a photographer goes to an event that has few photo opportunities only to protect the image of the paper or reporter. (I didn’t even want to shoot the guy, but I had to show the flag. )

Taxi job-- n. When a story has few photo possibilities, but the photographer has to chauffeur the reporter.

Wild art-- n. Any photograph that can run with only a caption.