POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Welcome to our photography page. We're delighted that you've chosen to visit us and explore our visual content. Before proceeding, we invite you to review our usage policies, designed to ensure a positive and respectful experience for all our users. These policies establish the guidelines and expectations governing the use of our photographic content. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. Thank you for being part of our photography community!

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 HeartWarming Captures to schedule a pick-up date/time and/or ordering appointment.  

COMMUNICATIONS: HeartWarming Captures primary mode of communication is email.  Please allow 24-48 hours to respond to your contact emails/messages.  The best contact means include email (info@heartwarmingcaptures.com), phone (0412527193) or through our website.

ADULT/PARENT PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION: The parent(s) and/or legal guardian(s) of the high school senior shall be in attendance for all communications and events.  Parent(s) and/or legal guardian(s) are encouraged to accompany their child/children; however, are not required.  

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, check, debit or credit card with payments made payable to HeartWarming Captures.  Returned checks are subject to a returned check fee.

BOOKING POLICY: The Photographer's total portrait session fee includes a non-refundable payment 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.  

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.  Any Client that arrives late to the session will have the amount of time late deducted from the time allotted for the portrait session.  Photographer will not provide a partial refund or other compensation for the time deducted from the portrait session due to late arrival of the Client.  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 or cancel three (3) 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 three (3) or less calendar days before the agreed upon photographic event date, the initial non-refundable payment will be forfeited.

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 two (2) and four (4) 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.).

COPYRIGHT AND REPRODUCTIONS: The Photographer shall retain copyright ownership of all works created during portrait sessions, including but not limited to all images in their original and processed formats.  It is understood that any duplication or alteration of original images is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the Photographer.  Alterations include, but are not limited to, application of filters, cropping, or modifications of any kind.

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 HeartWarming Captures 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 HeartWarming Captures 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 HeartWarming Captures in the social media platform tags when available.