Thanks for taking the time to respond. Education is key, but it feels like a losing battle sometimes, because so many think they have the right to take whatever they see as long as they put that silly Image source Link. Even if an image is licensed, PROPER copyright information has to appear under the photograph!
Some stock images take hours, and sometimes days to prepare. I have spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on education and equipment over the years! A professional photographer's overhead is very high, although I've had to cut my expenses way back these days in order to make a profit. I no longer pay for models, as I don't photograph people for stock anymore, and I no longer pay for a studio or to photograph on someone's property, but expenses have to be taken into account when you run any kind of business.
And when I hear these people say that they have the right to take my work because it's on the web, I get a little worked up. I should also have the right to just take their writing too and make some money off it, right? What would they think if the shoe was on the other foot? Off my soap box now! As you can tell, i am quite passionate about this subject matter! LOL!