STUDIO POLICIES & PROCEDURES:
(booking with JMFarron Photography constitutes acceptance and agreement of the studio policies set forth below)
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE:
Bathrooms are NOT available under any circumstances so please plan accordingly.
If you have a potty training child, please consider bringing a portable potty. There are a few grocery stores approximately 2-3 miles from the studio in case of an emergency.
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SICK POLICY:
JMFarron Photography has a zero tolerance policy regarding illnesses and requires that you reschedule your session in the event that anyone within your immediate household (including those who are not being photographed) have experienced ANY NEW symptoms of illness in the 10 days prior to your scheduled session (including but not limited to fever, cough, shortness of breath, headache, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, loss of taste/smell, etc.).
Additionally, if you or anyone in your immediately household have been or suspect that you may have been in contact with a COVID, Flu or RSV- positive person, you MUST reschedule your session immediately. If you or anyone in your immediate household is awaiting test results for COVID, flu or RSV at the time of your session, you must reschedule your session.
I reserve the right to refuse entry for anyone that is obviously showing signs of illness upon arrival. In the event that you show up with visible symptoms of sickness, you will forfeit your session and retainer paid. As long as you contact me prior to the start of your session time, I will reschedule the session due. Please be truthful and upfront. Sick kids won't photograph well anyways.
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CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICIES
NON-REFUNDABLE RETAINERS
All sessions require a $50 retainer payment to reserve your session date/time (*unless otherwise noted for a specific session type). Retainers are non refundable and must be paid within 24 hours of booking to secure your session date/time. If the retainer is not paid within 24 hrs, the spot will be reopened. If you need additional time to pay a retainer, please contact me and arrangements may be made on a case by case basis. Retainer payments are accepted via venmo (@jennifer-farron) or paypal ([email protected]) only.
Please do NOT book a session unless you are prepared to pay the retainer fee.
BALANCE PAYMENTS
Balance payments are due at the start of your session. Payments are accepted in person in the form of cash, check or venmo (scan the QR code in studio). Paypal is also accepted in some cases. Credit/debit cards are not accepted in studio. If you need to pay with a credit/debit card, you will need to request an invoice a minimum of 24 hours before your session and the invoice must be paid before you arrive.
In the event that you need to reschedule your session last minute due to illness, and you have notified me BEFORE the start of your session, then your retainer fee will be transferred to your new session date. Retainers are non refundable (meaning you will not receive a cash refund). Any retainer paid will be treated as a credit on your account that can be used towards a later session date and will be good for 5 years from the date of original payment, provided that you have properly notified me. Failure to notify me BEFORE the start of your session time will result in a forfeiture of the retainer payment and your session will not be rescheduled until an additional retainer payment has been made.
CANCELLATIONS
In the event that you need to cancel your session anytime between booking and the date of your session, provided that you have notified me properly, a gift certificate in the sum of the total amount you have paid thus far will be issued and can be used towards a later session, and is good for 5 years.
Balance payments are not due until the time of the session, so you are welcome to wait until you arrive to make the payment. If you choose to pay the balance in full ahead of arriving for your scheduled session time and then you have to cancel the session for any reason, you do so with the understanding and acceptane thatyou will receive a gift certificate for the full amount paid and not a cash refund.
Absolutely no cash refunds will be issued except for a situation in which I (the photographer) have to cancel your session and I am unable to accommodate rescheduling it with you. In this case, if we are unable to mutually agree upon a reschedule of the session, then I would refund the retainer paid, as well as any balance payments made. I will do my best to accommodate a reschedule as soon as possible but sometimes I am unable to do so.
POST SESSION EXPECTATIONS & GUARANTEES
Full session fees are non-refundable once they have been edited and the images have been released to the client. I strive to always provide beautiful images that you can cherish for a lifetime. Sometimes, however, the client's expectations for the session are simply not how the session actually goes. Young children (especially under the age of 5) are unpredictable and often do not "perform on command" in the manner that parents are expecting. Infants, especially those who are not able to sit unassisted are limited in how they can be posed as keeping them safe throughout the session is of the utmost importance. If you are concerned about posing of infants, it is recommended that an adult who can hold said infant be included in the images.
JMFarron Photography is there to capture the “essence” of you and your children, while the finer details (clothing, combed hair, clean faces, makeup, jewelry etc.) are entirely your responsibility. The photographer is not responsible for dissatisfaction of images due to circumstances beyond photographer's control including but not limited to clothing choices, hair styles, makeup, accessories, children's cooperation (smiling, looking at the camera, crying) etc and a retake session will not be offered based on this type of dissatisfaction. While slight editing is done to fix blemishes, additional editing of images including but not limited to "slimming", etc. are not included within the session fee. Additional fees per image must be paid in full before any additional editing is completed by JMFarron Photography. *Please remember that the copyright on the images is not waived and you may not do additional editing to the images or hire anyone else to edit the images without my written permission.
No refunds, credits or retake sessions will be offered under these circumstances.
If you are not satisfied with your session itself through the fault of the Photographer (including the photographer did not provide the agreed upon number of images under the terms of the session purchased, or images were lost by the photographer for any reason), then a replacement session will be offered. A partial refund (less retainer fee) will only be issued in the event that the Photographer is at fault as described above and is unable to offer a replacement session due to scheduling issues.
Notice of this type of dissatisfaction must be received in writing within 48 hours of receipt of the images in order to receive a replacement session.
All cake smash sessions are final sale and non-refundable. JMFarron Photography is not responsible for subjects failure to cooperate including but not limited to crying, child's dislike of the cake, failure to "smash" the cake and/or child's failure to smile during the session and no refunds/credits will be given once the session has taken place. In the event that you are dissatisfied with your cake smash session and would like a cake smash reshoot, there will be an additional fee of $100.00 to cover the cost of additional materials and time to reset up the session and obtain a new cake. A cake smash reshoot session will not be scheduled until the additional fee has been paid.
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ARRIVAL/LATE ARRIVAL/NO SHOW POLICIES
ARRIVALS:
You should always plan to arrive approximately 5 minutes before your scheduled session time.
Upon arrival, please text/call me at 518-265-7748. If we are using the main indoor studio, you will be directed to come to the front door. If we are using the garage studio you will be directed to enter through the side door.
***PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE DOOR UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DO SO & DO NOT RING THE DOORBELL
LATE ARRIVALS:
If you are running late for any reason (traffic, accident, etc), you MUST contact me by text or call to let me know (please identify yourself in the text). A session will never begin more than 10 minutes late unless I have confirmed it is ok IN WRITING before the original start time of your session. If I am able to accommodate your late arrival, please note that your session will still end at its originally scheduled time- you will not receive additional time for your session, and you will not be given a partial refund/credit for the shortened session.
I may not always be able to accommodate your late arrival, especially on a mini session day where the sessions are booked back to back. If I am unable to accommodate your late arrival but you have contacted me before the start of your session, I will allow you to reschedule the session for my next available opening.
If you arrive more than 10 minutes late to your scheduled session time, and you have not contacted me before your scheduled session began, your session spot and retainer will be forfeited and the session will not be rescheduled (If the full session fee has already been paid then the session fee amount minus the non refundable retainer, will be issued as a credit towards a later session. A cash refund is not available.)
NO SHOW POLICY:
I'm a mom too, so I totally understand that things come up and kids get sick so you may be unable to make your scheduled appointment. In the event that you are unable to make your scheduled session time, I simply ask that you be considerate and message/email/text me to let me know. I do not charge a cancellation fee for last minute cancellations who have reached out to me. In the event that you do not contact me before your scheduled time to advise that you will be unable to make the session, you will be considered a "NO SHOW" and your retainer will be forfeited. Anyone who has been a "NO SHOW" for a session will be required to pay in full at time of booking for any future sessions..
Please be considerate, I have a family too and I often have to make arrangements for my own children.
Absolutely no refunds will be given for "NO SHOW" clients and retainers will be forfeited!
I reserve the right to refuse a booking for any client that has had more than 2 "no show" sessions.
**Rescheduling Cake Smash Sessions:
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IN STUDIO POLICIES
BATHROOMS
Until further notice, bathrooms are not available under any circumstances. Please plan accordingly.
STUDIO OCCUPANCY/VISITOR LIMITATIONS
MAIN STUDIO (INDOOR)- 1-2 adults/parents are permitted inside the studio for all sessions. Siblings are ONLY permitted in the studio when actively being photographed during the session. Siblings are not permitted in the studio for cake smashes and must leave the studio after completion of the family portion of all newborn sessions (please make arrangements for a family member to pick them up or one parent to take them outside after this part of the session is completed). *****Family/Sibling sessions that are included with newborn sessions will also continue to be available to be booked separately from the newborn session to make things easier when siblings are involved. The Family/Sibling session can be scheduled in the evening or on a weekend subject to my availability anytime within 30 days of your newborn session. If there are no siblings in the family, the parent pictures will be done at the time of the newborn session.
GARAGE STUDIO- Open from approximately April- November and used for larger family groups, summer smash sessions and holiday/christmas sessions. There is no maximum occupancy restrictions in this studio at this time. Siblings should still refrain from coming to cake smash sessions, if possible, as they tend to be a distraction. Please limit the number of observers for sessions if at all possible to avoid distractions.
BEHAVIOR
Parents are responsible for watching their children while in the studio at all times. All individuals inside the studio are expected to behave in such a manner that I (the photographer) do not feel disrespected, threatened or that can endanger themselves or me (including but not limited to rowdy behavior, mishandling of props/furniture, throwing props (unless told to do so with cotton snowballs, etc), climbing on props not meant to be climbed on, attempting to enter my private home areas outside the studio damaging backdrops floors or props, vulgar language and inappropriate advances or suggestive language. Additionally, JMFarron Photography strictly prohibits the following at all times within the studio and on the studio grounds: Possession or use of a weapon as a prop (including plastic knives, pocket knives, water guns or any imitation weapon); Possession, sale, or use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco (including smoking and/or vaping); Theft; Physical assault or battery of any kind; Harrassment and/or Bullying.
I reserve the right to stop any session that I deem to be heading in a dangerous or threatening direction and you will be asked to leave the studio immediately. No refunds or credits will be issued for those who have been asked to leave the studio due to disrespectful or inappropriate/improper behavior. Any damages incurred by you or your children while in the studio will be charged to you and your edited images will not be released to you until said charges have been paid.
(I work with young children regularly, so obviously normal toddler/child behaviour is expected. I just want to ensure that both you and I are respected and safe while inside the studio. Knock on wood, to date, I have never had to ask anyone to leave and no one has ever damaged anything in the studio)
DRESS CODE POLICY
All babies under age 1 will be photographed with a diaper and/or clothing/wraps on at all times- "naked" baby photos are NOT taken at any time within the studio.
Any child over the age of 1 must be fully dressed at all times.
FOOD IN STUDIO
****The studio is a 100% NUT FREE ZONE***
While I have no problem with (bribery) snacks and water/milk/formula in the studio, please ensure that these are not messy snacks or drinks. In order to maintain a safe and clean environment, JMFarron Photography prohibits the following items in the studio: NUTS of any kind, chocolate & M&Ms, Lollipops, sticky snack foods, cheese puffs or any chips that leave a residue behind, applesauce, coffee juice (including juice boxes and capri sun pouches) and soda.
Recommended snacks in the studio include: puffs, crackers, goldfish, cheerios, fruit snacks.
Drinks permitted in the studio are water, milk and formula ONLY.
If you are unsure of whether an item is ok to eat in the studio, please check with me before offering it to your child.
MASKS:
At this time, masks are optional in both the garage studio as well as the indoor main studio. I will continue to wear a mask indoors when handling and coming into contact with newborns, and will put one on at any time if you would like me to do so. Disposable masks are also available at the door. In the event of an increase in covid, RSV and flu cases, I may reinstate the studio mask policy but will inform you before you arrive.
CLEANING PROCEDURES:
JMFarron Photography will continue to clean and disinfect all studio surfaces, wash and disinfect props and sanitize any items that may come into contact with you or your child before and after every session. This was already done prior to COVID-19 and I will continue to do this moving forward. An air purifier is also running in the studio at all times. In the event of an exposure within the studio, additionally cleaning measures will be taken and the studio will be closed for a minimum of 48 hours.
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IMAGE DELIVERY
JMFarron Photography provides high resolution DIGITAL DOWNLOAD images in an online, password protected gallery following your session, along with a print release form. The turn around time is typically 7-14 business days (weekends and holidays are not included). JMFarron Photography strives to provide your images as quickly as possible, however, please note that sessions are edited in the order they are taken and you should only follow up if you have not received them within 7 business days of your session. If you need your pictures by a certain date, please consider scheduling your session early to avoid any issues with delivery by your required date. A rush processing fee of $50 can be paid to guarantee delivery within 48 hrs of your session, but this must be paid at the time of your session.
CDs are no longer available. If you would like a hard copy of your images, you may purchase a USB flashdrive through me for $25/tax. A complimentary USB flashdrive will be provided ONLY for newborn sessions. You may also provide your own USB flashdrive, and I will add your images at no additional charge. You will need to pick up the flashdrive within 1 week. There will be a $5 shipping charge if I need to mail it back to you.
JMFarron Photography will always provide TWO copies of each image, one WATERMARKED and one UNWATERMARKED. The Limited Print Release provided along with your images, states that the images provided are for personal printing use only. This means that the unwatermarked copies of any images provided to you may be printed by you at a printer of your choice (this would include prints, holiday or announcement cards, products, etc). (This print release is also what that printer should require you to present to them upon retrieval of your prints to prove that I have given you permission to make prints on your own.) The limited print release does not allow you to share the unwatermarked images on any online platform, submit the images to any photo contest (without additional written consent) or use the images for marketing/advertising (without additional written consent to do so)
In the event that you want to post or share any of the images ONLINE or on any social media platform, the only images that should be used are the ones marked WATERMARKED that contain my logo/watermark on them. As a courtesy, you can also notate photo credit in the subject of the images and/or add a direct link to my website/fb site.
AT NO TIME SHOULD YOU EVER POST AN UNWATERMARKED COPY OF ANY IMAGE TAKEN BY JMFARRON PHOTOGRAPHY ONLINE OR THROUGH ANY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM. DOING SO IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF JMFarron Photography's COPYRIGHT ON THE IMAGES.
Please be advised that your payment of a session fee does not constitute a transfer or waiver of my copyright on the images that I take and provide to you. The session fee covers my time setting up for your session, my time during the session, and my time in post production when the images from your session are being edited, as well as the cost of maintaining on online storage system to house your session images. JMFarron Photography will not forfeit their copyright on any images produced/presented from JMFarron Photography to any client for any reason, but may on a case by case basis, remove some limitations for clients who make such a request in writing.
A release form/contract, acknowledging this policy, is required to be signed by every client at the start of their session and must be signed by a legal guardian/parent.
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COPYRIGHT AND LIMITED PRINT RELEASE POLICY
(please familiarize yourself with this policy)
All images taken by JMFarron Photography are protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Images taken by JMFarron Photography cannot be edited or altered in any way (including removal of watermarks, adding of a filter to the image, cropping the image, changing the image in any way or further editing of the image.) Any alteration(s) made to an image taken by JMFarron Photography is a direct violation of the copyright retained by JMFarron Photography on said image(s) and JMFarron Photography reserves the right to seek legal action against anyone who has violated the copyright of their images as it sees fit.
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EDITING OF IMAGES
Simple editing/retouching (removal of slight blemishes in images) is done to every image before being delivered. All images are provided in color and some additional images may also be provided in black and white. Additional editing, when possible, once your images have been provided to you, will be an additional fee of $15 per image (including but not limited to head swapping, severe acne removal, or "slimming down", etc) and only the selected images you pay for will be additionally edited. Additional edits will require an additional 14 days to be completed.
***You MAY NOT alter the images yourself, including additional edits either by yourself or by another photographer/editor, adding filters of any kind, including instagram filters, or cropping of images. Any additional editing or altering of the images by you or anyone other than JMFarron Photography will be a violation of the copyright on said images and JMFarron Photography reserves the right to defend said copyright and seek legal action against you.
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IMAGE STORAGE & BACKING UP YOUR IMAGES
***I strongly recommend that you download your images to a COMPUTER if you will be making prints. The images provided are full resolution. Downloading to a phone or device may compress the file size and distort your images when you go to print them. Once the images have been provided to you, JMFarron Photography no longer guarantees that the images will be saved by JMFarron Photography. It is strongly recommended that you back up your images to a storage device or online storage site (shutterfly, cloud, google drive, etc) as well, because JMFarron Photography will only guarantee to house your session images online for 30 days. After 30 days your images may become archived. Permanent storage of images is not possible and it is your responsibility to ensure your images are saved and protected. Additional fees will be charged in the event that JMFarron Photography must retrieve your files (if still available) from the archives.
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LONG TERM STORAGE OF IMAGES POLICY
I am a photographer that provides you with your digital images and grants you permissions to use them for all personal printing needs. As such, once I provide the images to you (either on CD, USB or digitally through email or another means), I no longer guarantee that your images are being archived or saved on my end. That being said, I do my best to save the images, in an external hard drive, at my own expense, in case you were to somehow lose them. I never deliberately delete your files, however, please understand that files, saved in any way, have the ability of becoming corrupted or lost in the event that the drive were to fail. This is completely out of my control, but is something that has happened to me in the past and some files were lost. Indefinite storage of your files in a cloud drive by me is not feasible based on the volume of work that I create and the cost associated with that type of storage. It is not a service that I am interested in offering, and because I am providing you with all of your images from every session, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that you are backing up the images to some other type of storage device (an external hard drive, a cloud storage, etc). CD's, USBs and even computers/phones can easily be damaged/lost and if you only have your images on those devices, then you may very well lose all those precious memories. It happens (in my life it has happened to me 3 times and it is devastating). If this happens to you, I will do my best to provide you with a replacement USB of your galleries (replacement fee is $50+tax), IF I still have them, but I am in no way guaranteeing that I will have any/all of them. Again, I am never going to deliberately delete any of your files, but I am not going to guarantee that over the years they have not been corrupted or lost on my end either.
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RELEASE FORM/LIABILITY WAIVER PAPERWORK
Release forms will be required for all new clients. Existing clients should verify that the information on their paperwork is current and up to date and make any changes necessary. Please ensure a current mailing address is included, as well as a phone number and email address. The release form must be signed by a parent/legal guardian. This permits me to photograph a minor child(ren).
The only language that may be omitted from the release form/contract regards JMFarron Photography being allowed to share images from your session on their website/social media pages. Failure to sign this release form/contract at the start of your session will cancel your session and JMFarron Photography will be unable to work with you until such time as a contract has been properly signed. JMFarron Photography will ONLY share images from your session with your written permission. If you prefer that I not share them online, I will absolutely respect that request.
CAKE SMASH SESSIONS: An additional liability waiver form must be signed for cake smash sessions acknowledging that the child has no known food allergies and that JMFarron Photography will not be liable should the child have a reaction to the cake provided.