Just needing to vent!

Well I must say that I'm so glad I'm in this profession! I used to run a photography studio and still do weddings or work if people ask me to. But now that anyone and their brother can buy a nice camera for $500, photographers are a dime a dozen. EVERYONE thinks they are a professional photographer. I just can't take it!! They have no idea how to pose people, they don't know a thing about lighting and they get a Facebook page and get all their friends to like them. I worked for YEARS to refine my craft, went to conventions, classes seminars, studied ALL the time and spent thousands of dollars to get where I was. Its like someone buying a few face paints and some brushes and saying they're a professional face painter. Thank God it actually takes skill and talent and lots of practice to Ger where we are! If you are one of those kind if photographers I m venting about, I'm sorry if this stings. I just need to vent because I know I would hurt several friends of mine if I did this in Facebook. But they are under cutting all REAL professional photographers thand classifying themselves with others they have no business comparing to. Granted there are several who just have an incredible eye and they do have natural talent. But at least they are posting amazing photographs online and not rinky Dink on camera flash photography. Okay....I'm good now. Thanks for reading prorated not. And putting up with my ranting.

There's quantity and then there's QUALITY.  I agree with what you said.  It's a shame that some of the wanna-bes dilute the pool of real professionals and take away work from them...and you know, they ALWAYS charge a "bargain" price!!  I feel like a professional has to earn the title !!