I understand the frustration -- especially for those of you who, like Sean, invest such time and energy into all the details....setting up lighting for 2 hours before a shoot, staking out the best time and location for a sunrise, elaborate hummingbird attractions, etc.

I even hear this about my photos sometimes, and I am not half the photographer of many who frequent this forum. The comment makes sense to me even though it can be insulting. Unlike cooking or painting, where the tools the pros use are quite similar to the amateur's, photography gear is an immediate distinguishing factor that looks so conspicuously different and "pro." Put a 7D with an EF 100L macro in my hands, and I can do things with a camera that the point and shoot crowd can only dream of. Yes, I've invested lots of time learning how to use the camera and lens, and I am not short changing myself. But all the skill in the world won't make a Canon PowerShot equal to a _D/100L macro combination. The same is true for depth of field. Shoot a portrait at f/2 with the EF 85 f/1.8, and your result will be dramatically different than what the photography masses can produce. That's what people are reacting too. They know enough to appreciate the difference in gear. They know that the gear really matters on some level, even if they have no idea how much time, skill and effort go into truly great photography.