You know me, Jimmy, I'll be waiting at the airport when my ship finally comes in.
I went backwards, I've been shooting all my magazine, advertising, and catalog work for over 25 years using Speedotron Blackline pack and head lights. Several years ago I picked up a little Alien Bee 800 and the Vagabond portable power source to help with my location shooting here in Miami. The damn things work so well I probably use them 80% of the time, particularly now that I have the ABR800 ring light.
If I had a studio that would allow me to leave my pack and head lights set up all the time, and I had a clientele which required a lot of studio work, I'd probably use my Speedo's more frequently. But as they say in racing, horses for courses. The Bee's satisfy my need for portability, particularly when the location is around water (as it is so frequently here in Miami). If I damage or destroy a Bee, I'd be pissed, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. (Fortunately that hasn't happened in the four years I've had them!)
I am laughing about "lights first, lenses second and cameras third". I flashed on a newbee sitting around with a model while he is firing his expensive strobes and saying, "just come back in a few months when I can afford a lens and hopefully a camera and you'll be able to take some of these pictures home!"
But that's just me, I always get things backwards!
Fishie
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John Fisher
900 West Avenue, Suite 423
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
305 534-9322
http://www.johnfisher.com