Terms of Service

1. Booking and Deposit

A non-refundable $50 booking deposit is required to confirm your session. This deposit secures your time slot and authorizes Guelph Grad Photos to securely retain your payment method on file for the duration of your booking.

The $50 deposit will be applied toward your remaining balance on or before the day of your session. The remaining balance is due no later than the day of the shoot, payable by e-transfer, cash, or card as confirmed at booking.

Failure to pay the remaining balance as agreed may result in the session being postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled.

2. Payment Method on File

By entering your card details at checkout, you authorize Guelph Grad Photos to charge that card, without re-entering your details, for:

• the $50 deposit due at the time of booking, and any tip you choose to add;
• the remaining balance, due on or before the day of your session;
• any late cancellation or no-show fees set out in these terms.

Your card is stored securely by Stripe, our payment processor. Guelph Grad Photos never sees, handles, or stores your full card number.

This authorization remains in effect until your session is complete and all amounts owing have been paid. You may ask us to remove your card from file at any time by writing to [email protected]; where a balance or fee is still owing, removal does not cancel your obligation to pay it.

3. Cancellation Policy

3.1 Cancellation window

Clients may cancel their session free of additional charge within the cancellation window. The cancellation deadline is the earlier of the following two dates:

• (a) 7 calendar days after the date of booking, or
• (b) 7 calendar days before the scheduled session date.

If both conditions result in a date that has already passed at the time of booking, the session is non-cancellable and non-refundable from the moment of booking.

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing via email or text message before the deadline at 11:59 PM on the applicable date.

3.2 Examples for clarity

3.3 Late cancellations and no-shows

4. Group Bookings, Cancellation and No-Show Responsibility

For group sessions, the individual who completed the booking and paid the deposit is solely and fully responsible for all cancellation fees and no-show charges on behalf of the entire group, regardless of which group member cancels or fails to appear.

Group disputes over payment are between group members and do not affect the right of Guelph Grad Photos to collect applicable fees.

5. Rescheduling

Each booking is entitled to one (1) reschedule only, subject to the following conditions:

• A minimum of 72 hours of written notice (via email or text message) is required before the scheduled session start time.
• Rescheduling is only permitted within 30 days of the original booking date. Requests made after this window will not be accommodated and will be treated as a cancellation under the cancellation policy above.
• All rescheduling is subject to photographer availability. Guelph Grad Photos does not guarantee a specific date or time slot.
• Rescheduled sessions that are subsequently cancelled or missed are subject to the full late cancellation or no-show fees outlined above.

Rescheduling requests that do not meet the above conditions will be treated as a cancellation.

6. RAW Files and Unedited Images

Guelph Grad Photos does not provide RAW, unprocessed, or unedited image files as part of any standard package.

RAW files may only be made available under a separate written agreement, explicitly confirmed by Guelph Grad Photos prior to the session. Unless such an agreement is confirmed in writing before the shoot date, no RAW or unedited files will be delivered under any circumstance.

7. Minor Participants

Sessions that include participants under the age of 18 (“minors”) are subject to the following:

• The booking party must be a parent or legal guardian of any minor participants, or must confirm in writing that they have obtained full consent from the parent or legal guardian of the minor prior to the session.
• By completing the booking, the booking party confirms they have the legal authority to consent on behalf of all minor participants included in the session.
• Guelph Grad Photos reserves the right to use images of minor participants for portfolio, marketing, and paid advertising purposes (see Section 8, Copyright and Usage Rights). If you wish to opt out on behalf of a minor participant, this must be requested in writing before the session.
• Guelph Grad Photos is not responsible for disputes between parents, guardians, or third parties regarding consent.

8. Copyright and Usage Rights

Copyright and full ownership of all images remain with Guelph Grad Photos under Canadian copyright law.

The client receives a non-exclusive, personal-use license to use the delivered images for personal, non-commercial purposes, including sharing on personal social media accounts and personal printing. Clients may not resell, license, sublicense, or commercially exploit the images without a separate written commercial license agreement with Guelph Grad Photos.

Guelph Grad Photos reserves the right to use any images captured during the session, including in paid advertising campaigns, for portfolio, marketing, promotional, and advertising purposes across all platforms and media, including but not limited to: website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Ads, and any other digital or print channels.

Clients who wish to opt out of paid advertising use must submit a written request via email or direct message before the session date. Guelph Grad Photos retains the right to use images for organic portfolio and marketing purposes regardless of any opt-out request.

9. Age Requirement

You must be 18 years of age or older to book a session with Guelph Grad Photos. By completing a booking and paying the deposit, you confirm that you meet this age requirement.

If booking on behalf of a minor participant, a parent or legal guardian must be the booking party.

10. Force Majeure

Guelph Grad Photos is not liable for inability to perform services due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, public health emergencies, or government restrictions.

11. Use of AI

We use AI-assisted tools in our editing workflow, in drafting replies to enquiries, and in writing material for our website. Some editing tools run on a provider’s servers, which means images from your session may be uploaded to that provider to be processed.

We do not sell your photographs or your personal information. We do not use AI to decide whether to accept a booking, issue a refund, or resolve a dispute; a person makes those decisions.

If you would prefer that your images were not processed with cloud-based tools, tell us before your session so we can discuss what is possible.