Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I teach photography full time in my studio. We teach many classes, principal among them is studio lighting. We own dozens of lights made by Paul Buff.

I don't spend much time on forums other than this one. I find them an utter waste of time. And I make sure to warn my students of the perils of receiving their education through these educationally perilous places. And I always give the Fred Miranda Snake Den as the cardinal example.

I like this forum in that I can answer someones question and get on with my life. Venom, such as that seen on the FM forum, is just bad mojo in the universe. I truly believe that Karma is a bitch...

As that thread developed, I could see that Todd was becoming increasingly antagonistic toward you and others. That was disruptive to a very informative thread. Of course, the bigger issue here is how Fred handles his forums. Perhaps he does not have adequate resources to police and enforce the forum laws. Perhaps he does not like confrontation. If this is the case, the discussions on the FM forums will easily degrade into insulting and invalidating others, like many other forums that have suffered the same fate. I have been an administrator on a company's forums and I found it necessary to be very clear about the forum rules. Even when they were flagrantly broken, we'd reference the instance of violation to be fair.

Paul, I do appreciate your honesty and willingness to help others. Your posts on FM were always of the "here's some data to help you decide" kind and not the "here's a conclusion many people before you have made so you should accept it" kind. That is a breath of fresh air. What goes around comes around. The universe really does work that way.

Paul,
I've purchased exactly one product from you so I'm not tied to your apron strings.. yet.

I'll tell you this: While it was nice of you to try to exist in the FM Forum, it's a waste of time.
Yes, there are some good shooters over there, but way too many idiots, trolls, and other people
(or subhumans) . Fred Miranda is someone I've never met; if I ever do, I may have to work hard NOT to punch the guy out - and I'm fairly non violent. He makes pretty pictures. He's arrogant imho - and he doesn't want anyone in there that could possibly overshadow him and his fame.

In short, it was nice of you to try - but why would you want to associate with a flaming -ass*ole like Fred Miranda. Here in Iowa, there's a old expression: Never wrestle with a pig. you'll get pigcr*P on you, and besides - the pig likes wrestling in the pigcr*p and he'll win.

Not a lot different then being a participant over at the Pig ... errr Fred Miranda forums.

Michael

The problem is not one of the hateful, non-constructive posters . . . they're everywhere.

The problem is Fred himself . . . a pompous biased ass in my opinion. I, like several other members, reported what the pigs were doing to the threads and to the credibility of his forum during the progression of these libelous negative attacks, with dozens of complaints, which he routinely ignored.

I suppose when I finally pointed out on his forum that the logical reason he didn't ethically moderate was perhaps that these people are his buddies, business partners in disguise or that he was sleeping with them. So I pretty much expected him to act like the jerk he proved to be in response.

The funny thing is that about 50% of the posts and responses to FM Lighting Forum came from Paul C. Buff threads, and I figure about 75% of the actual factual technical information came from my posts.

So, in calling my "Bluff" he has seriously damaged his cred, not mine, and has relegated his forum to little more than a gossip column where hate filled people can slam each other and learn nothing in the process.

My recommendation for serious information seekers are Rob Galbraith and David Hobby blogs.

Fred is bad at running forums is what it comes down to. Or perhaps his priorities are different than typical message boards... which is his right, and shouldn't be discounted. Still, most boards are thrilled if they even have a PR person on board, and ask their members to show some respect... try trashing Chuck Westfall on any forum he visits, and see how it's handled... differently, to say the least.

That said, Paul... understand that people like Todd56 are just baiting you, either for sport or in an attempt to hurt your reputation. You'll be happier.... I'm speaking from experience here... if you can learn not to bite so easily. The easiest thing to do in a forum is piss people off; there are no negative consequences for the anonymous, and some people just get a kick out of it. Heck, most modern radio careers are built on that principle.

In successful forums, the members usually put a stop to disruptions before the moderators have to. FM forums seems to be a relic at this point, one of those forums that got big because it started early, but has little else to offer, now that Photoshop actions for sharpening and up-rezzing are no longer cutting edge. I hadn't been there in years before you started posting, don't expect to go back often.

I wouldn't have seen this thread if it weren't linked here. It starts out with the stupidity typical of Internet forums - Paul C. Buff, who has a spent a lifetime creating revolutionary technology that enables 1,000's of people to do things they would have never been able to otherwise do politely/professionally contributes to a forum. Some idiot - whose only claim to fame is that he's used some lights, never designed on, built one, sold old one let alone 1,000's - wants to prove he's smarter so he tosses baloney around. Each time Paul responds this idiot seems to get validation.

The utter idiocy - the "that takes the cake" moment - is Fred Smearanda's banning of Paul. Really??? I mean, REALLY, Fred??? You're banning a pioneer in the field because he JUSTIFIABLY disputed the baloney of a bozo? I guess I'm not missing anything by not reading Fred's forum.

You know you're doing things right when you draw the haters from the weeds, Paul.

Illegitimus non carborundum.

And Happy Birthday! Thanks for everything you've done.

Thanks all. I am really not an egotistical person and I work very hard to try to contribute whatever and wherever I can, and market in a Golden Rule fashion that the new breed of shooters can afford . . . and yes, I make good money doing it.

What irks me is that just about every monolight from the cheapest Chinese to Profoto is some form of adaptation of the 1986 WL Ultra, all battery packs sprung from Vagabond 1, remote control of lights most began with Ultra (wired) and Radio Remote 1, everyone is ripping of the PLM and I'm off to more new products today, on my 75th birthday. The number not thousands . . . it a bit over 500,000 to date.

So yes, it gets irksome when jerks like Fred Miranda support bigger jerks like Todd56. But I always remember the Hollywood quote "I don't care what they say about me as long as they keep talking"

Gotta' go take my Testosterone shot now.

75??? Geez, Luap. Do you mind posting what you eat?

Ken R.

happy birthday Paul,
may you enjoy many more, in good health.

Happy Birthday Luap! Re: the Fred Miranda stuff... when you look at the sum total of the legacy you have built with PCB (and your lesser known adventures) you have something that you can and should be proud of. You've had a dramatic and lasting impact on the way photographers make pictures and built a great American company. Fred.... well, not so much.