Studio Conduct
The studio is a work space. While the studio is as pet-friendly as possible, it is NOT child-proofed. Please do not bring children to the photography session without prior coordination with me. It is important that the owner give their full attention to the session. If a child is brought to the session without permission, or is left unsupervised during the session, I reserve the right to terminate the session and/or reschedule.
The owner needs to be completely free from distractions to assist if need be. Some pets are nervous or very active, and respond better to their parent's engagement than to a stranger.
There will be bathroom breaks for the owner and pet, as necessary. I have a fenced-in backyard, but pets should not be left unattended. There are poop bags available for use, and owners will bag any waste and dispose of it in the can outside.
Pet Hygiene
During both consultation sessions and portrait sessions, please make sure your pet is clean and healthy. I want your pet to be beautiful for his/her photos! Some suggestions would be to have your pet groomed prior to the session (bathing, brushing, haircut, nail trim as appropriate). All pets must be up-to-date on their vaccinations prior to any session. I do not want preventable diseases spread between different pets visiting the studio. Please be considerate of other pets and their parents.
Cancellation/Rescheduling
If you must cancel or reschedule an appointment, please do so over the phone at least 48 hours prior to the session. If a session is cancelled outside the 48-hour window, the deposit will be refunded. If a session is cancelled within the 48-hour window, the deposit is non-refundable. If a session is rescheduled outside the 48-hour window, the deposit will be carried over to the new appointment date. If the appointment is rescheduled due to sickness or other unavoidable circumstance, the deposit will be carried over to the new appointment date. If the session is rescheduled for any other reason within the 48-hour window, the deposit is non-refundable, and the customer will need to pay a new deposit for the new session.
Copyright
Copyright for all images is the sole property of the photographer (Lisa Covington) and is protected by federal copyright law. It is illegal to copy, scan, print, or reproduce these images in any way without written permission from the photographer. I will provide a print release document for the customer during the portrait session, which authorizes the customer to reproduce the photos for personal use. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.
Usage Rights
The photographer (Lisa Covington) maintains the exclusive rights to make reproductions of all photographs, except for those specific examples detailed in the print release form. The photographer shall only make reproductions for the client or for use in the photographer's portfolio, advertising, samples, website, and display within or outside the photographer's studio. The photographer also has the right to enter these images into photographic competitions, art exhibitions, or publications.
No identifying names will be given in connection with usage of any image. I understand that sometimes there are circumstances where the customer may wish for the photos to not be used for these purposes. Please notify me if this is the case. No fees, royalties, or payment of any kind will be owed in connection with any usage made of any image captured and created by Lisa Covington.
Exclusive Photographer
Please do not bring your own camera, camcorder, or any other recording devices to your session, or allow any other family members to do so. If this situation occurs, I reserve the right to terminate the session. Any money paid for a session terminated for this reason will not be refunded.
Re-shoots
Re-shoots are offered at the discretion of the photographer only, and will not incur an additional fee. I only offer re-shoots due to technical issues. I will not offer to re-shoot for unfortunate personal choices, such as hair, clothing, etc.
Retouching
All photos receive basic retouching. I will only retouch temporary things such as stray hair, spots, leashes, etc. If it is permanent, such as a birthmark or scar, I will not retouch or remove it unless specifically asked. Some retouching is beyond my ability. I cannot remove an entire person from a photo, for example.
Artistic Selection
Many photos are captured during a session. Afterwards, I put each photo through a careful selection process. You will see only those photos that meet my standards for release. Images with eyes closed, unflattering poses, and duplicate images are examples of photos I will remove from the photos I select. This selection process is entirely my right and part of the custom portrait process.
Arbitration
If you have any problem, concern, or issues with your experience, we would appreciate you first attempt to work directly with us to resolve them. Please also allow us a reasonable amount of time to resolve your issue to the best of our ability. It is in everyone's best interest to resolve concerns as soon as possible before they develop into larger problems.
Additional Fees
The Service fees listed on the website assume there will be one pet and one owner participating in the portrait sessions. Additional pets or humans will incur an additional fee of $10 per pet or human 5 years of age and older.
Written Consent
Humans that accompany their pets to the portrait sessions must be the legal owner of the pet and at least 18 years of age. Any other human must have written consent from the owner to accompany the pet to the session. The Written Consent Form can be found on the Forms page. It must be signed by the pet owner and presented on the day of the photo session.
Age Requirement
All clients seeking my services must be at least 18 years of age. Children who will be in the photos, anyone under 18 years of age, must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
Aggressive Pets
For safety reasons, I will not accept aggressive pets as clients. If you book a session claiming your pet is not aggressive and they display aggression during the session, the session will be immediately stopped and the pet and owner will be asked to leave. I will refund the session fee, minus the $25 non-refundable deposit.