Insulted by other industry professionals, what happened to doing photography for art?

I just needed to vent about this somewhere and I’m sure someone here will understand how I’m feeling.

There’s a very large wedding vendor company where I’m from who hires other vendors as independent contractors. They are extremely well known here and have been in the industry for a very very long time. I have worked with them quite a few times at several events and they even were part of my own wedding and they know me well.

I was told by a friend that they were hiring wedding photographers so I figured I would throw my application in and see where it went.

I didn’t hear back for a very long time and figured it wasn’t a fit and they’re too busy to respond no biggy and went on with my life, only to see that they responded today and rather than just letting me know that it wasn’t a good fit, I recieved a very lengthy email with some pretty harsh “criticism” that was anything but constructive.

They started out saying that my website could be improved, which is okay. I’ll survive. But then went on to completely pick apart my photos. Now, my style is more on the warm cinematic vibe, it’s most certainly not everyone’s cup of tea but the people who use my love my style and there’s a market for it.

And that’s just it, it’s a STYLE, photography is ART. Art is subjective.

They pointed out how my photos are grainy and that must be a result of having my ISO too high, and that my tones weren’t perfect which showed that I didn’t know how to work with lighting properly. I purposefully edit warm and grainy to emulate that cinematic filmy vibe. They went on to recommend that I learn how to properly use my settings and that I learn how to edit better.

They then went on to end the email saying they hoped I didn’t feel discouraged and with more “practice” I will get better.

I am completely floored at this response. I didn’t just start photography last week. I’ve been doing this for years. And not only that but I did NOT ask for feedback. Had they told me it wasn’t a good fit and I asked why that was, by allllll means, but the unsolicited critique on my editing style and explaining to me how I need to learn to use my settings and how to edit? I’m truly baffled.

Anyways I am so deeply disappointed. This is such a wonderful reputable company and this kind of response puts such a sour taste in my mouth and really just comes off unprofessional. I’m really proud of my work and how my style has evolved and to be picked apart out of nowhere like that and spoken to like I’m a complete amateur is so disheartening.