Terms of Service

These terms and conditions govern the provision of photography services by Shacoworkshop ("the Photographer") to clients ("the Client"). By booking a session or event with Shacoworkshop, you agree to these terms.

1. Booking and Confirmation

A booking is confirmed upon receipt of a signed booking agreement and the required deposit payment. Until both are received, dates are held provisionally and may be offered to other clients. The booking agreement will specify the date, time, location, duration, and scope of the photography services.

For wedding photography, a non-refundable booking fee of 30% of the total package price is required to secure your date. For all other sessions, a booking fee of 50 GBP is required. The remaining balance is due no later than 14 days before the session or event date.

2. Cancellation and Rescheduling

Client Cancellation

• Cancellations made more than 60 days before the session date: the deposit is forfeited, but no additional fees apply.
• Cancellations made 30 to 60 days before the session date: 50% of the total fee is due.
• Cancellations made fewer than 30 days before the session date: the full fee is due.

Rescheduling

Sessions may be rescheduled once at no additional charge, provided at least 14 days' notice is given. Rescheduled sessions must take place within 90 days of the original date. Further rescheduling requests are subject to availability and may incur an administrative fee of 25 GBP.

Photographer Cancellation

In the unlikely event that the Photographer must cancel due to illness, injury, or emergency, a full refund of all fees paid will be issued. Where possible, a suitable replacement photographer will be offered. The Photographer's liability in this situation is limited to a full refund of fees paid.

3. Weather and Outdoor Sessions

Outdoor sessions may be affected by weather conditions. Light rain and overcast skies are generally suitable for photography and often produce flattering results. In the event of severe weather (storms, heavy rain, extreme wind), the session will be rescheduled at no additional cost. The decision to reschedule due to weather will be made jointly between the Photographer and the Client no later than two hours before the scheduled start time.

4. Copyright and Usage Rights

The Photographer retains copyright of all images produced under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The Client receives a personal licence to use the delivered images for personal, non-commercial purposes, including printing, sharing on social media, and displaying in their home or office.

Commercial usage rights (advertising, publications, product packaging) are available upon request and may incur additional licensing fees. The specific usage rights included in each package are detailed in the booking agreement.

The Client may not sell, licence, or sublicence the images to third parties. The Client may not remove or alter any watermarks or metadata embedded in the images. The Client may not apply filters, heavy editing, or AI manipulation to the delivered images for public use, as this may misrepresent the Photographer's style and quality.

5. Portfolio and Marketing Use

The Photographer reserves the right to use images from any session for portfolio, marketing, social media, website, print materials, and competition entry purposes, unless the Client has explicitly requested otherwise in writing before the session.

If you require a private session where no images are shared publicly, please inform the Photographer at the time of booking. A privacy surcharge may apply.

6. Model Release

By agreeing to these terms, the Client grants the Photographer permission to use the images as described in Section 5. For sessions involving minors, the parent or legal guardian booking the session provides consent on behalf of the child. The Client may withdraw consent for future marketing use at any time by contacting the Photographer in writing, though this does not apply retroactively to materials already published.

7. Image Delivery and Turnaround

Edited images are delivered via a private online gallery within the following timescales:

• Portrait, family, and branding sessions: 2 to 3 weeks
• Wedding photography: 4 to 6 weeks
• Commercial projects: as agreed in the project brief, typically 1 to 2 weeks
• Events: 1 to 2 weeks

These timescales are estimates and may vary during peak season (May to September). The Photographer will communicate any expected delays.

The number of final edited images varies by session type and duration. An estimated range is provided in the booking agreement. Raw, unedited files are not provided under any circumstances.

8. Image Storage and Backup

The Photographer maintains image archives for a minimum of 12 months following delivery. After this period, images may be deleted. The Client is responsible for downloading and backing up their gallery within the access period provided. Gallery links remain active for a minimum of 90 days.

9. Liability

The Photographer carries professional indemnity and public liability insurance. The Photographer's total liability in any circumstance shall not exceed the total fees paid for the session or event in question.

While the Photographer takes every reasonable precaution to safeguard images (including dual card recording and redundant backups), the Photographer cannot be held liable for loss of images due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to equipment malfunction, theft, or natural disaster.

The Photographer is not responsible for the actions, behaviour, or appearance of guests, venues, or third-party vendors that may affect the quality or content of photographs.

10. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for failure to perform obligations where such failure is due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disaster, pandemic, government restrictions, severe weather, transport disruption, or civil unrest. In such cases, the parties will work together in good faith to reschedule or reach a fair resolution.

11. Complaints and Disputes

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service, please contact the Photographer within 14 days of image delivery. The Photographer will make reasonable efforts to address any concerns. Disputes that cannot be resolved directly will be subject to mediation before any legal proceedings, in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

12. Amendments

These terms may be updated from time to time. The version in effect at the time of your booking will apply to your session. Any significant changes will be communicated to existing clients with confirmed bookings.

Contact

If you have questions about these terms, please get in touch.