Paul Buff
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 p.4 #18 · Answers and info from Buff and others | |
shatterkiss wrote:
If your tone was meant to be light it didn't come across to me either.
There are people who do commercial work by painting long exposures with MagLites too, but I don't think that makes them typical. My experience is the same as Darryl's: in my years of shooting, assisting, working on sets and frequenting commercial studios I've never once seen one of PCB's products. Rather, I should say I've never once seen ANY of his products on a commercial shoot. My only exposure to them has been the couple of White Lightnings I used to own, the AlienBees a few photographers friends own and what I come across online. Most of the commercial photographers I know, assist or have spoken with have never even heard of PCB or AlienBees, though the White Lightning brand seems to have a little more recognition value.
Admittedly, I'm coming at this from a coastal and "major market" commercial perspective: we have so much more access to rental houses and major commercial studios that the brands supported by those businesses are the ones that people know. Here in NYC, Profoto is synonymous with "commercial photography lighting"...brands like Speedo and Dynalite are less common here, compared to their foothold in rental houses and studios that I've come across in other parts of the country. Even monolights are less-common here, whereas in other places you'd have to really hunt around to find a pack/head kit. When I've worked in markets like Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Ft. Lauderdale, DC, Seattle the brand-skewing has been different.
But still, my experience is the same: from my perspective, PCB's products just don't exist in the commercial world that I work in. I'm sure other people's experience is different.
And Darryl, I just booked a job in LA in a few weeks...hope that offer to stop by applies to me as well! Still trying to decide whether or not to pad the trip out by a day or so.  ...Show more →
Words have meanings. Below is the definition o commercial (Dictionary.com)
The term yawl choose to define as "commercial" is an incorrect term. It's esoteric slang. Invent a term that actually describes what yawl (all 100 of you) are trying to imply the word commercial actually means and then your point is valid. Me, I deal in the real world where my several hundred thousand "commercial" photographer customers outnumber yours by 100 to 1 or more. I sell equipment, not rent it out, and simply don't cater to the 1% and never implied that I did.
Would I trade Paul C. Buff, Inc. straight across for any of the producers of the products yawl espouse? No - that would by a lousy deal for me, financially and otherwise. Why do yawl think Elinchrom and others are trying desperately to compete with me, but I'm not trying to compete with them? Betcha' my bottom line is bigger than theirs or yawls's - just gut market analysis - accuracy not guaranteed.
I use the term "yawl" because I'm not singling out or putting down any particular poster here. Since I was born and raised in Hollywood, yawl is a term I have become endeared to after moving to Nashville 37 years ago.
Not intended to be defensive - just to present a clear picture.
com⋅mer⋅cial [kuh-mur-shuhl] Show IPA
–adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of commerce.
2. engaged in commerce.
3. prepared, done, or acting with sole or chief emphasis on salability, profit, or success: a commercial product; His attitude toward the theater is very commercial.
4. able to yield or make a profit: We decided that the small oil well was not commercial.
5. suitable or fit for a wide, popular market: Communications satellites are gradually finding a commercial use.
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