Preparation
Guidance is provided during an telephone or email pre-consultation explaining how we recommend you prepare for your photography session, what to wear, the best time of day for the shoot and what to bring with you. Samantha Oates Photography are not responsible for any reductions in quality or quantity of images taken as a result of any failure by you to comply with these recommendations.

Booking and cancellation
A $200 non-refundable retainer is required to secure a booking within 24 hours of submitting a booking form. The balance is required to be paid 24 hours prior to the assignment.   All retainers paid will be deducted from the final invoice. Once the retainer has been received, Samantha Oates Photography will reserve the date and time specified by the client. Please be punctual. We try our best to allow for some flexibility. However, if you arrive 15 minutes past your appointment, we will have to reschedule your Session and a $200 fee will apply.  No shows on the day of the shoot will result in a loss of the deposit. If proof of full payment is not provided to Samantha Oates Photography 24 hours before the photoshoot, Samantha Oates Photography reserve the right to cancel the scheduled photoshoot and retain the client's retainer.

Re-Shoot Policy
Samantha Oates Photography cannot offer re-shoots due to dissatisfaction with clothing, facial expressions, hair wind, child(ren) behaviour or other items beyond our control.

Pricing
Prices are available on the website and are valid at the time of completion of a booking form and payment of deposit. Samantha Oates Photography reserves the right to change prices without given written notice to the client. This only applies to future bookings and not existing orders.

Mini Sessions

Mini sessions are seasonal and only occur at a limited time. Full payment is due at the time of booking a mini session. Samantha Oates Photography reserve the right to cancel mini sessions due to incremental weather. In light of wet weather cancellation, if possible, Samantha Oates Photography will offer an alternative date.  If an alternative date is not possible due to the nature of the shoot or the client is not available for the new date, the client can use the credit towards another shoot. No refunds will be given for Mini Sessions. As these are very short session, if the client is late, their shoot will be cancelled, and no refund will be given.

Discounts and Special Offers
Discounts cannot be applied to deposits. One discount can only be used per photography session. Discount is applied at the time of booking and is reflective of current price at time of booking.

Your responsibilities
At your photography session you are responsible for the behaviour and wellbeing of your child(ren) and all of your personal belongings. You must comply with our reasonable instructions during your photography session, whether relating to health and safety or any other matter.  Samantha Oates Photography reserve the right to cut short a photography session if, in our sole discretion, we consider that the safety or wellbeing of any participants (including any of our staff) is at risk. We will not provide refunds for photography sessions cut short as a result of the behaviour of you or your child(ren).

Limit of Liability
Samantha Oates Photography maintain the right to reschedule the session appointment due to inclement weather or personal emergency. In the unlikely event that Samantha Oates is injured, ill or experiences an emergency which prevents either of them from attending the photographic session, Samantha Oates Photography will make every effort to reschedule your session. If this is not possible, Samantha Oates Photography will refund your deposit in full.

Refund Policy
We will not refund, nor accept the return of/refusal to pay charges for, any technically acceptable photograph supplied in an electronic format. No exception can be made as we cannot be held responsible for individual tastes or exceptions. Refunds of deposit or full payment will not be given to clients due to rescheduling because of increment weather, illness or change of mind. Samantha Oates Photography will always offer alternative dates for reschedules up to 6 months after initial date at no cost.  Samantha Oates Photography will contact clients via contact details supplied at time of booking in order to reschedule shoots. If clients do not respond to  Samantha Oates's correspondence within 3 months of initial booking date,  the photoshoot credit will expire and no refund will be given.

Delivery of Product
Clients will receive a private online gallery of water marked images within three weeks from photoshoot. Clients must choose their selected number of images, determined by what package they have purchased, within two weeks of gallery delivery. Clients selected high resolution images will be uploaded to the client gallery within one week of selection.   If client chooses their full gallery to purchase, a new invoice will be issued and payment due within 7 days. Once payment has been made, the full gallery will be uploaded within one week from purchase date.  If Clients do not communicate their selection of photographs to Samantha Oates Photography within 2 weeks of date of photoshoot, their gallery will expire, and $200 fee will apply to retrieve photos.  When ordering print products, the responsibility of correct postage address lies with the client. If client provides incorrect postal information and as a consequence, products are never received, Samantha Oates Photography is not liable.

Storage of Images
Client's selected high resolution digital images are kept on an active file for one month after which time they will be deleted. All remaining digital images will be deleted within three weeks of photograph session.

Creative privilege
Samantha Oates Photography is granted total artistic control over the final image. As the artists, we use our artistic discretion to carefully select the final images. We do not release raw, unedited images, since these are not considered to be a finished product. Once digital prints are delivered to the client, all further editing of any nature will incur additional costs.

Copyright and Reproduction
The copyright of all images remains with Samantha Oates Photography. The client grants the photographer the unrestricted right to use and alter the material for commercial, promotional, marketing, competition or other purposes without compensation, and hereby releases and shall hold harmless the photographer from all claims or liability resulting from or associated with the use of the material unless otherwise discussed between the client and Samantha Oates Photography.

When digital images are purchased by the client, only the right to print the image for personal use is included. Copyright continues to be owned by Samantha Oates Photography. The client is permitted to reproduce their digitally purchased images for personal use only or for the purpose of a model, artist or entertainer promotion. Low resolution water marked images must not be downloaded or printed. These images are for viewing only, in order to purchase your final product.  If, however, you wish to use the images for advertising, merchandising, product endorsements, point of sale as well as TV, theatre and film posters then you will need to inform Samantha Oates Photography beforehand, so as we can work out an appropriate usage rate and file size.

Data Protection
Samantha Oates Photography will store the Client's name, contact details and session information privately and will not share these with any other business or organization.

Attribution
Samantha Oates requires that all photography used on the internet, social media, print and other forms of sharing be credited to Samantha Oates Photography and that the copyright symbol on all images not be removed or cropped in any way.

Alterations
Unless written consent is provided, the images provided by Samantha Oates Photography cannot be altered, cropped, distorted or affected in any way. You are not permitted to give images to someone to edit or alter, whether in a professional capacity or otherwise.  Samantha Oates Photography shall not be liable for any claims whatsoever resulting from alterations made to the material by the client.

Photography and recording by you.
The use of cameras, camera phones, camcorders or any other recording equipment is not permitted during any photography session without our express permission.

Gift Certificates
A gift certificate may be used towards a new booking for any of our photography packages. Gift certificates are transferrable, but not redeemable for cash. The gift certificate serial number must be presented during the booking of your photo shoot and the amount will come off the balance of your package price. Any cancellation within 12 hours of the scheduled shoot or a no show on the day will result in the certificate becoming null and void. Your session date must be booked, and a deposit received prior to the expiry date stated on the voucher. Gift certificates are valid for a 12-month period, if not redeemed within that time no refund will be given. Samantha Oates Photography terms and conditions apply to all bookings.

Loss or damage

As the photographs made by Samantha Oates Photography are manufactured with the finest materials currently available. Samantha Oates Photography does not take any responsibility for images printed through outsourced services unless referred by Samantha Oates Photography.  Samantha Oates Photography shall carry out this assignment with due and professional diligence. Elements beyond  Samantha Oates Photography’s control include faulty material, equipment failure, damaged and exposed film, loss of film/photos/ negatives/digital files in transit between Samantha Oates Photography and professional laboratories employed by  Samantha Oates photography, loss or damage to film, negatives/ digital files and proofs during processing and developing either by Samantha Oates Photography or professional laboratories employed by Samantha Oates Photography, industrial disputes, civil disturbances, or weather conditions which may inhibit or prevent Samantha Oates Photography completing in whole or in part this assignment. In this case Samantha Oates  Photography shall not be liable for its complete performance of the assignment. It is agreed that the liability of Samantha Oates Photography shall be limited to be a refund of any money paid under this agreement, which shall be in full & final satisfaction of any damage or loss suffered.

It is agreed that the liability of Samantha Oates Photography shall be limited to a refund of any money paid and that the client indemnifies Samantha Oates Photography for any further action as a consequence of the engagement by the client of the Photographer.

Agreement:
By placing any booking through Samantha Oates Photography, you agree to the above terms and conditions, and the contract shall be considered binding as if a manually signed paper original.

The Photographer reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions without prior notice.