Devaluation of Photography

Have you ever heard the phrase: "It's just a photo"?
   I do...all the time. It's just a part of the devaluation of photography and photographers. Now that cameras are everywhere, it's an epidemic of poor images filtering into the mainstream consciousness. Where images that are "good enough" are used in place of hiring the trained professionals to create the proper images.
  I must send out two or three quotes a week and I always hear the same thing. "Why is it so much?  It's just a photo."
  As a commercial photographer it is not "just a photograph". It is the key to my clients brand and image. Good photography can separate brands in an ever more knowledgeable consumer base. The proper photograph has the power to make a brand or a product. The top companies in the world seem to understand and they hire the best photographers(or animators) to make their product/brand stand apart. That is not to say everyone has their budget, but with a little research and a little knowledge even a small company can increase their brand awareness with better photography.
  Look at it this way, if Uncle Jim is willing to take a photo of your Wine Bottle in his basement with some lights he purchased at his local Menard's and using his Rebel for $100.
  Then, your local professional photographer is willing to photograph that same Wine Bottle in a studio setting, make a proper clipping path, correct lighting, and high quality Canon 1DX for $200.
  Which would you rather have?

I can remember years ago, when I was photographing weddings, I could command a nice day rate for proper wedding photos. Now, not that I want to shoot weddings, I could not even get half of what I use to. This is all do to : "I have a friend who can take photos." or "My uncle has a nice camera."
I really feel for professional wedding photographers, brutal business these days. I actually had someone who told me she would just have all her friends take photos on their iPhone.
Really, your wedding and you are going to have iPhone photos...ok, good luck with that.