Policies

BUSINESS HOURS
GAJ Photography business hours for communications (texts, calls, messaging) are Monday through Saturday from 9:00am to 6:00pm. Photo sessions are available Sunday through Saturday. Please contact GAJ on Facebook to schedule an appointment.

BOOKING PROCESS & SESSION FEE PAYMENT TERMS
A NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT OF 25% OF THE TOTAL SESSION FEE is due at the time of booking and is required to reserve the photography session on the agreed upon date and time. This fee is non-refundable even if the date and time are changed or if the client cancels the session. Acceptable payment is by PayPal, Zelle, or cash unless approved by GAJ. The session date and time are not officially reserved until the deposit is received.

SESSION RESCHEDULING/CANCELLATION
If a client wishes to cancel or reschedule their session it must be done via Facebook messenger or by contacting GAJ directly via text and acknowledged by GAJ 48 hours before the session date. If the client wishes to reschedule they will have 30 days from the original session date before the session expires. In the event of an expired session or cancellation, the client will not receive any type of refund or credit for future services with GAJ and will have to pay another deposit to reschedule.

LATE ARRIVAL
Clients must arrive at their session at their scheduled start time. If the client is more than 30 minutes late the session time will be extended (if the schedule permits) at an additional 25% fee of the total session cost. Refunds or credits are not available for sessions cut short or entirely missed due to a client’s late arrival.

POST-SHOOT ORDERING GUIDELINES
Clients will be sent a password protected Pixieset link with unedited shoot images within 48 hours post-session date. Clients will have 48 hours from the date the link is sent to view and choose images to be edited (the number of images depends on the package selected). If a client does not choose images within 48 hours of receipt of the link, the photographer will choose the best images to edit. The client can choose additional edits at the price outlined in the package selected.

FINAL IMAGE DELIVERY/COMPLETION SCHEDULE
Clients are guaranteed to receive their final edited images via password password-protected Pixieset link within 10 business days after the 48-hour post-shoot ordering period (see POST-SHOOT ORDERING GUIDELINES) as long as the full payment has been received.

PAYMENT TERMS OF PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS
The remainder of the entire balance of all photography sessions is due at the conclusion of the shoot. Acceptable payment is by PayPal, Zelle, or cash unless approved by GAJ. Pre-arranged payment plans are available upon request with terms set by GAJ. In the event of a payment plan, all final images will not be released until 100% of the balance is paid in full. A minimum of a 25% fee of the total order will be added to the remaining balance total for every scheduled payment missed.

IMAGE/EDIT CHANGES
If the client requests any changes to images after the editing process is complete there will be a $15 fee per image. If the client wants additional images edited, there will be a fee outlined in the package details.

COOPERATION
The photographer is not responsible for the behavior of parties involved with the shoot, except for the Photographer’s personnel. If the desired outcome of your session is jeopardized by the behaviors of parties involved except for the Photographer’s personnel, the 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.

SOCIAL MEDIA
The Client may share final edited images via social media. The Client shall not copy, download, screenshot, or capture other images in any other fashion. The Client shall identify GAJ Photography in the caption of all photographs uploaded to social media websites and profiles.

DIGITAL FILES and ARCHIVAL OF IMAGES
All images from the session will remain password-protected and watermarked on Pixieset for 10 calendar days afterthe final edited images are delivered to the client. Clients will have up to 10 calendar days from the final image delivery date to request additional edits at the cost outlined in their package.

PRIVACY REQUEST
GAJ has the right to use any images taken by them for use in their portfolio and promotional advertising (see copyright & image usage for detail). GAJ understands that some clients wish to keep their images private. If privacy is requested, the client acknowledges and agrees that a privacy fee, whose sum is to be set at the discretion of GAJ, may apply to the session fee to cover the monetary loss the artist may encounter for keeping the images private. If required and once paid, GAJ agrees to not use the client’s images for any public use including their website portfolio and any online or print advertisement.

COPYRIGHT & IMAGE USE BY STUDIO
GAJ owns all copyrights for any and all images produced in connection with the session, including the right to reproduce or publicly display such images, for any personal or commercial purpose, without compensation to the client or notification before use (see PRIVACY REQUEST for detail). As the creator of all images made during the session, GAJ shall retain the copyrights in perpetuity, regardless of possession or ownership, digital files, or any other format of reproduction. If there are any copyright violations by the client without the written consent of GAJ, GAJ reserves the right to pursue this matter through the proper legal channels.

TRAVEL FEES
If your desired location is off the island of St. Croix but within the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the client is responsible for transportation fees only.
If your desired location is outside of the U.S.V.I. please request a custom quote as you may be responsible for GAJ expenses including but not limited to airline reservations, hotel reservations, local transportation, and a per diem food stipend.

LOCATION ACCESS, FEES, PERMITS + HOUSE RULES
If the client chooses to shoot at a location that charges for access or requires permits, they shall be responsible for all fees associated with shooting there, including but not limited to entrance fees and parking. The client shall also be responsible for organizing access to the location and any permits required for doing so. GAJ is limited by the guidelines of the location. The client is responsible for negotiating deviations from the location’s house rules.

If requested, GAJ can provide recommended or preferred locations that may charge a fee for access. The client reserves the right to decline these recommendations/preferences. If the client chooses a location recommended by GAJ that charges for access, the client is only responsible for their own access fee.

WEATHER LIMITATIONS FOR SESSIONS
GAJ reserves the right to reschedule a session due to weather conditions including but not limited to rain, wind, dust, extreme temperatures, etc.

LIMITATIONS ON LIGHT
In the event that any part of the session occurs at a time or in a location where there is an absence of natural light it is at GAJ’s discretion to use artificial light sources and the images may look different than the natural light images. Images shall not be subject to rejection on the basis of taste, esthetic criteria, or personal appearance.

WEDDING PAYMENT TERMS
The wedding contract and a non-refundable deposit (25% of the total wedding package) are due at the time of booking your event date. This fee is non-refundable even if the date and time are changed or if the client cancels the contract. Acceptable payment is by PayPal, Zelle, or cash unless approved by GAJ. The session date and time are not officially reserved until the deposit and contract are received. The remaining balance of the chosen package is owed to GAJ and is due one day before the wedding date. This remaining balance also includes any and all necessary expenses (specified in the contract) for example but not limited to travel, hotel charges etc. No photography will take place and no rights are granted until full payment is made.

FAILURE TO MAKE FINAL PAYMENT
Failure by client to make the final payment as scheduled one day prior to the wedding date as scheduled in the signed contract shall be deemed a material breach of contract. In the event of a material breach GAJ may cancel the contract and be relieved from any further obligation of performance. If a client wishes to cancel their wedding contract it must be done in writing and acknowledged by GAJ 30 days before the wedding date as indicated in the signed wedding contract. The initial deposit fee that was required to book the photography services of GAJ is non-refundable. If the contract is canceled less than 30 days out from the scheduled date client will forfeit all payments made to GAJ in addition to the non-refundable deposit fee.

POST-SHOOT ORDERING GUIDELINES
Clients will be sent a password protected Pixieset link with unedited shoot images within 3 days post-session date. Clients will have 3 days from the date the link is sent to view and choose images to be edited (the number of images depends on the package selected). If a client does not choose images within 3 days of receipt of the link, the photographer will choose the best images to edit. The client can choose additional edits at the price outlined in the package selected.

FINAL IMAGE DELIVERY/COMPLETION SCHEDULE
Clients are guaranteed to receive their final edited images via password password-protected Pixieset link within 30 calendar days after the 3 day post-shoot ordering period (see POST-SHOOT ORDERING FOR WEDDINGS GUIDELINES) as long as the full payment has been received.

SCHEDULING TIMELINES
GAJ and the client will collaborate on all schedules and arrangements for services to be provided well in advance before the wedding date. No alteration to the coverage timeline will be made by the client, wedding planner, DJ, or other vendor without coordination with the photography team. GAJ will work to meet all reasonable requests and expectations; however, circumstances may prevent certain images from being created. Finally, please realize that if you or your wedding party/guests/family arrive late, alter or interfere with the planned photography schedule, or if scheduling is altered by another vendor or by unforeseen reasons, GAJ may not be able to make all of the images you might otherwise receive and if this occurs, GAJ is relieved of any liability.