POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Each of our clients are very important to us! Because of this, all that we do is for you – our clients – because you deserve it! As such, we have outlined some of our most important business policies and procedures to enforce standards for all portrait sessions, ordering appointments and business contracts and transactions. Please note that additional policies and procedures may be included in contracts and agreements outside of the ones listed below.

STUDIO HOURS: Our typical business hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm and Saturdays and Sundays by appointment only. Currently, we are open by appointment only. Please contact Lainie Hird Photography to schedule a pick-up date/time and/or ordering appointment.

COMMUNICATIONS: Lainie Hird Photography's primary mode of communication is email. Please allow 24-48 hours to respond to your contact emails/messages. Please do not contact Lainie Hird Photography via personal Facebook; there will be no guarantee of prompt response. The best contact means include email info@lainiehird.ca

PRICING AND PAYMENTS: All prices are subject to change without notice. Contract prices will not be changed upon signing of contractual agreement(s). No products will be delivered until the entire amount is paid in full. Acceptable payment methods include cash, EMT or credit card with payments made payable to Lainie Hird Photography.

BOOKING POLICY: The Photographer's total portrait session fee includes a non-refundable payment of 50% of the total portrait session fee and must be paid in conjunction with signing of a contractual agreement. A portrait session date will not be reserved until both items are completed. The Client agrees that this non-refundable payment is earned by the Photographer when paid, and is remitted in consideration of the experience, reputation, skill of the Photographer, and in consideration of the inability of the Photographer to schedule other clients during this time.

PAYMENTS OF SESSIONS: All sessions are to be paid in full one week prior to the agreed upon date. If Client cancels session please see Cancellation.

RESCHEDULING AND LATE ARRIVALS: If Client requests to reschedule a photographic portrait session, Photographer may apply the initial payment to a rescheduled session if notice is given at least seven (7) days prior to the scheduled portrait session. The rescheduled session must take place within six (6) calendar months. (up to 2 reschedules). If the Client reschedules more than twice in 6 months a Reschedule fee will be implemented of $45.00 per additional date chosen. If weather conditions are not desirable for the portrait session based on Photographer recommendations, the portrait session will need to be rescheduled and the portrait session fee will be transferred to rescheduled portrait session date. Due to liability and equipment damages, this decision will be at Photographer’s discretion.

CANCELLATION: If the Client requests to alter/reschedule seven (7) or more calendar days before the agreed upon photographic event date, the initial nonrefundable payment will be applied to a mutually agreed upon reschedule date. If the Client fails to show or cancels seven (7) or less calendar days before the agreed upon photographic event date, the initial non-refundable payment will be forfeited. If the Client decides to not reschedule and cancel their session completely and session has been paid in full, the photographer will refund up to 50% of the session (less booking fee and any additional fees that have incurred)

LOCATION AND TRAVEL: The photographic session will begin at Lainie Hird Photography's studio location in Otterville, Ontario unless otherwise agreed upon. If Client specifies a certain location to be used during the portrait session, the Client is responsible for all location fees involved such as location access fees, parking, and other expenditures directly required for fulfillment of this Agreement.

COOPERATION: Photographer is not responsible for behavior of parties involved with the shoot, except for Photographer’s personnel. If the desired outcome of your portrait session is jeopardized by the behaviors of parties involved except for Photographer’s personnel, Photographer cannot be held responsible. The Client will assist and cooperate with the Photographer in obtaining the desired photographs, including but not limited to specifying persons and/or scenes to be photographed; taking time to pose for photographs at the Photographer's direction; providing a person to guide the Photographer to desired persons and/or scenes; pre-shoot consultations and questionnaires, etc. The Photographer will not be responsible for photographs not taken as a result of the Client's failure to provide reasonable assistance or cooperation.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY: The Client will not engage in photography or videography during the photographic session unless otherwise agreed to by the Photographer. Engaging in this behavior entitles the Photographer to end the portrait session without refund or reschedule available to Client.

COMPLETION SCHEDULE: All photographic portrait session proofs will be processed and available for delivery and viewing between six (6) and eight (8) weeks from the event date. Completion schedules and delivery of products will be determined by the Photographer. Third-party manufacturing laboratories and partners are utilized for products and may provide restrictions on an order not outlined in this Agreement.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS AND ARTISTIC RIGHTS: All photographic materials, including but not limited to negatives, transparencies, proofs, and previews, will be the exclusive property of the Photographer. The Photographer retains the right of discretion in selecting the photographic materials released to the Client. The Client will receive proofed prints and an accompanying online viewing and ordering gallery to select from and will not receive any photographic materials not presented to the Client. The Photographer also retains the right to adjust the photographs in post-processing as the Photographer deems within their creative control. Additional processing may be requested for $25.00 per image (i.e. braces removal, airbrushed skin, flyaway hairs, etc.).

CLIENT USAGE: The Client shall only use the photographic prints, including digital files, in accordance with the permissions within portrait session agreements. The Client’s prints are for personal use only and shall not be submitted to contests or reproduced for commercial use. The Client shall not make, or provide authorization to a third-party to make, reproductions of works resulting from portrait sessions without express permission of the Photographer. Additional prints and/or digital files may be purchased between third parties and the Photographer with the permission of the Client. Accordingly, if the Photographer provides a digital file print release, the Client must act in accordance with the release.

SOCIAL MEDIA: The Client may share web/blog post links and social media albums through use of the share functions and dissemination of direct links. The Client shall not copy, download, screen shot, or capture the photographs in any other fashion. The Client shall identify Lainie Hird Photography in the caption of all photographs uploaded to social media websites and profiles.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS: The Client understands that when sharing Photographer’s portraits online via personal website, Facebook, Instagram or any other social media platforms that Clients must include Lainie Hird Photography's watermark. The Client agrees that images will not be edited in any way including removing the watermark, cropping the image, adding filters or any other creative alternations. The Client should also include Lainie Hird Photography in the social media platform tags when available.

Updated DECEMBER 31, 2023