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Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions form the agreement between you (the Client) and Dan Mikhaél Creative Services (the Studio). By securing a booking, you agree to the operational policies outlined below. They are designed to ensure mutual respect, clear expectations, and uncompromised professional execution.

1. Booking, Retainers & Confirmation

  • The Commitment: To secure a specific date on my calendar, a £100 non-refundable deposit is required. Due to the nature of my work, availability is set to weekends only.
  • Payment Window: This deposit invoice must be paid within 7 days of receipt. If payment is not received within this timeframe, the date will be automatically released back to the public.
  • Locking It In: Once paid, your session is set in stone. Because a booking blocks out my availability, the deposit is strictly non-refundable if you fail to show up, cancel the session entirely or drastically alter the agreed core details of the shoot (such as changing the pre-approved location).

2. Final Payment Terms

  • Cleared Balances Only: The remaining balance of your booking must be paid in full on the day of the session, before any creative production or camera work begins.
  • Non-Payment Policy: In the event that a client fails or refuses to clear the remaining balance at the start of the session, the shoot will be immediately cancelled and the initial £100 deposit will be forfeited as a non-refundable cancellation fee.

3. Cancellations & Rescheduling

  • Client Rescheduling: Life happens, and sessions can be rescheduled to a mutually agreeable date. However, notice must be given at least 48 hours prior to the session start time.
  • The 48-Hour Cutoff: Requesting a change within 48 hours of the shoot is treated as a cancellation; your original deposit will be forfeited and a new deposit will be required to book a future date.
  • Reschedule Limit: Clients are permitted a maximum of one (1) reschedule per booking. Subsequent changes will require a fresh deposit.
  • Studio Emergencies: In the highly unlikely event that I must cancel a session due to an emergency on my side, you will have the choice of a 100% full refund of your deposit or priority rescheduling to a new date.
  • Act of God / Beyond Control: If a session cannot go ahead due to circumstances entirely beyond either party’s control—such as extreme weather, venue closure or sudden civil/power disruptions—the session will be rescheduled to the next available weekend date at no extra cost. Deposits remain non-refundable, but are fully transferable to the new date.

4. Shoot Locations, Fees & Permits

  • Selection & Discretion: While I am happy to recommend stylized settings or architectural spaces that suit the mood of our shoot, the final location must be selected at your own discretion.
  • Booking & Expenses: The Client is entirely responsible for securing, booking and paying for any location rentals, studio spaces, entry fees or necessary permits required for the session.
  • Financial Liability Protection: Under no circumstances will I pay for or advance funds for a venue booking. This policy strictly protects me against financial loss or unrecoverable venue fees in the event of a client cancellation or rescheduling.

5. Punctuality & Directing Pacing (Lateness)

  • The Grace Period: I understand that delays happen, but lateness cannot exceed 30 minutes.
  • Protecting Your Session: If you arrive within the 30-minute grace period, your dedicated complimentary preparation hour remains fully intact—we will not rush your creative readiness. However, arriving more than 30 minutes late may result in a shortened shooting window or cancellation at my discretion, with no refund of fees paid.

6. Delivery Timelines & File Management

  • Turnaround Time: Your final, polished digital assets will be fully processed and delivered within 7 days of the session date.
  • The 14-Day Vault Rule: Final assets are delivered via a secure, encrypted link. In strict alignment with my privacy policy, files remain active on my secure local servers for exactly 14 days. It is your responsibility to download and save your media within this window, as all project files are permanently purged after 14 days.
  • Limitation of Liability: In the highly unlikely event that digital files are lost, stolen or corrupted prior to delivery due to technical hardware failure or camera malfunction, my liability is strictly limited to a 100% full refund of all monies paid for that specific session. Under no circumstances will the studio be liable for any indirect, consequential or emotional losses.

7. Copyright, Intended Use & Personal Restrictions

  • Purpose-Driven Agreements: The final permission and distribution rights for your images/videos are strictly tied to the initial intent discussed and agreed upon by both parties before the shoot. This is because the overall direction, lighting, and styling of a session dictate whether the material is legally or aesthetically suited for commercial distribution.
  • Private & Commercial Use: While private personal commissions can be shared and distributed contextually, they must strictly adhere to our pre-shoot agreement and cannot be sold or licensed to third-party entities without explicit, written consent.
  • Creative Integrity & Alterations: The final images and videos delivered to you represent my completed artistic work. The Client agrees not to alter, re-edit, crop heavily or apply third-party social media filters to the final delivered assets. If any further retouching or adjustments are desired, they must be requested directly from the studio.
  • Studio Privacy Protection: For sessions where I am creatively involved within the frame or sharing the environment, my personal image and likeness remain strictly private. Under no circumstances may any media containing my presence be published publicly to the internet, social media or third-party websites without my direct, written sign-off.