Terms & Conditions

Welcome to Sona Photography! Thank you for considering me to capture your special moments. My goal is to provide a comfortable, enjoyable, and professional photography experience while delivering beautiful images that you can cherish for years to come.

Please take a moment to read the following Terms & Conditions before booking your photography session. By booking a session and submitting a deposit, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the policies outlined below.

1. Booking & Confirmation

All photography sessions must be booked in advance. Booking requests are subject to availability and are not considered confirmed until the required deposit has been received.

Once your preferred date and time have been discussed, I will provide you with the necessary booking details and payment information.

A booking is officially confirmed only after the deposit has been paid and confirmation has been provided by Sona Photography.

Until the deposit is received, the requested date and time are not reserved and may be offered to another client.

Clients are responsible for providing accurate booking information, including the type of session, number of participants, preferred location, and any specific requests or requirements.

Please communicate any important details, special requests, or expectations before the session so that everything can be properly planned.

2. Deposit & Payment Policy

A $100 deposit is required to secure your photography session.

The deposit is applied toward the total cost of your session and is not an additional fee.

The deposit is non-refundable under normal circumstances, including client cancellations, changes of plans, or failure to attend the scheduled session.

The remaining balance must be paid on the day of the photography session, unless another payment arrangement has been agreed upon in advance.

Your booking is not considered confirmed until the deposit has been received.

For special packages, events, or customized photography services, different payment arrangements may apply. Any such arrangements will be communicated and agreed upon before booking.

3. Cancellation Policy

If you need to cancel your photography session, please notify Sona Photography as soon as possible.

The $100 booking deposit is non-refundable if the client decides to cancel the session for personal reasons, changes in plans, scheduling conflicts, or any other reason unrelated to the photographer.

If the client cancels the session, the deposit will not be transferred to another person or refunded.

If Sona Photography must cancel a session due to an unexpected circumstance, the client will be offered the opportunity to reschedule. If rescheduling is not possible, any payments made toward the session will be refunded.

Sona Photography reserves the right to cancel a session in cases of emergency, illness, unsafe conditions, or other circumstances beyond reasonable control.

4. Rescheduling Policy

I understand that unexpected situations can happen. If you need to reschedule your photography session, please contact me as early as possible.

Clients must provide at least 48 hours’ notice to request a rescheduling without losing their deposit.

Rescheduling requests made with less than 48 hours’ notice may be considered a late cancellation, and the original deposit may be forfeited.

The deposit may be transferred to a new date if the rescheduling request is made within the required notice period and an alternative date is available.

All rescheduled sessions are subject to the photographer’s availability.

Repeated rescheduling requests may require a new deposit to secure another date.

Special seasonal sessions, holiday mini sessions, and limited-time photography events may have different rescheduling policies due to limited availability.

5. Late Arrival Policy

Please arrive on time for your scheduled photography session.

If you anticipate being late, please notify me as soon as possible.

Clients are given a 10-minute grace period.

Arrivals beyond this time may reduce the actual photography time to avoid affecting other scheduled appointments.

The session will still end at the originally scheduled time unless an extension is possible and has been approved by the photographer.

If a client arrives significantly late, the photographer reserves the right to shorten or cancel the session depending on availability and scheduling circumstances.

No-shows or arrivals so late that the session cannot reasonably take place may be treated as a cancellation, and the deposit will not be refunded.

Please plan your travel accordingly, especially when your session takes place at a studio or a specific outdoor location.

6. Weather Conditions & Outdoor Sessions

Outdoor photography sessions are dependent on weather and environmental conditions.

In the event of rain, strong winds, extreme temperatures, poor lighting conditions, or other weather-related concerns that may affect the quality or safety of the session, Sona Photography may recommend rescheduling.

Weather-related rescheduling decisions will be discussed with the client in advance whenever possible.

If the photographer determines that outdoor conditions are unsuitable, the client will be offered an alternative date or another mutually agreed arrangement.

The deposit will be transferred to the rescheduled session when the change is made due to unsuitable weather conditions.

The photographer reserves the right to make the final decision regarding whether outdoor conditions are safe and suitable for photography.

For sessions that include both indoor and outdoor locations, an alternative indoor option may be discussed when available.

7. Photography Session & Client Preparation

Clients are responsible for arriving prepared for their scheduled session.

This includes selecting appropriate outfits, arriving with any necessary personal items, and ensuring that all participants are ready at the scheduled time.

For family sessions involving children, parents or guardians are responsible for supervising their children throughout the session.

The photographer will provide reasonable guidance and direction to help clients feel comfortable and achieve beautiful results.

However, specific poses, expressions, cooperation from children, weather conditions, and other unpredictable circumstances cannot be guaranteed.

Clients are encouraged to communicate their preferences, inspiration photos, and desired photography style before the session.

Please inform the photographer in advance of any special requests, accessibility needs, or other important considerations.

8. Photo Selection & Delivery

The number of photographs included in each session depends on the selected photography package.

After the session, the photographer will carefully review and select the best images for editing.

The final edited photographs will be delivered through an online private gallery, unless another delivery method has been agreed upon.

The standard photo delivery timeframe is up to 14 calendar days from the date of the session.

During particularly busy seasons, including holidays and peak photography periods, delivery may take longer. If any unexpected delays occur, clients will be notified.

The photographer does not guarantee delivery of every photograph taken during the session. Duplicate images, test shots, missed-focus images, unflattering expressions, and technically unsuitable photographs are excluded from the final selection.

Only professionally selected and edited images will be included in the final gallery.

Clients are responsible for downloading and safely storing their delivered photographs. Sona Photography is not responsible for lost images after the gallery access period has expired.

9. Editing & Retouching Policy

All delivered photographs include professional editing consistent with the photographer’s artistic style.

Standard editing may include:

Exposure, brightness, and contrast adjustments.
Color correction and color grading.
Skin tone adjustments.
Basic skin retouching and minor blemish removal.
Cropping, straightening, and composition adjustments.
General image enhancement and finishing.

The photographer maintains a consistent editing style and artistic approach.

Extensive retouching, body reshaping, significant background alterations, object removal, clothing changes, and other advanced editing requests are not included in the standard photography package unless specifically agreed upon.

Additional editing requests may be subject to an additional fee.

Raw, unedited, and original camera files (RAW files) are not provided.

Clients acknowledge that the final photographs will reflect the photographer’s professional style and creative vision.

10. Copyright & Ownership

All photographs created by Sona Photography remain the intellectual property and copyright of the photographer, in accordance with applicable copyright laws.

Purchasing a photography session or receiving the final edited images does not transfer copyright ownership to the client.

Sona Photography retains the right to reproduce, display, distribute, and use the photographs for portfolio, promotional, and marketing purposes, subject to the client image-usage consent policy outlined below.

Clients receive a personal-use license for the delivered photographs.

This license allows clients to download, print, share, and display their photographs for personal and non-commercial purposes.

Clients may not sell, license, commercially distribute, edit, alter, or use the photographs for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Sona Photography.

11. Client Usage Rights

Clients are welcome to share their delivered photographs on personal social media accounts, websites, and other personal platforms.

When sharing photographs online, crediting Sona Photography is appreciated.

Clients may print their photographs for personal use, create albums, display framed images, and share them with family and friends.

Photographs may not be sold, submitted for commercial advertising, transferred to third parties for commercial use, or used to promote a business or product without written permission.

Clients may not apply filters, heavy edits, or modifications that significantly change the photographer’s original work when presenting the images as photographs created by Sona Photography.

12. Photographer’s Portfolio & Promotional Use

Sona Photography may request permission to use selected photographs from a session for professional portfolio purposes, including:

The photographer’s official website.
Instagram and other social media platforms.
Photography portfolios and galleries.
Advertising and promotional materials.
Printed marketing materials.
Photography competitions and professional presentations.

The photographer respects each client’s privacy and understands that not everyone wishes to have their photographs shared publicly.

Clients may communicate their preference regarding the public use of their images before the session.

If a client does not wish for their photographs to be used for promotional or portfolio purposes, they must notify Sona Photography in writing before the session.

No additional payment is provided for photographs used with the client’s consent for portfolio or promotional purposes.

Photographs will not knowingly be used in a misleading, inappropriate, or offensive context.

13. Payments & Accepted Payment Methods

Payments must be made according to the agreed booking and payment arrangements.

The $100 deposit is required to reserve the session, and the remaining balance is due on the day of the photography session.

Accepted payment methods include:

Cash.
Zelle.
Online payment

Please confirm the preferred payment method with the photographer before making a payment.

The client is responsible for ensuring that all payments are completed successfully and on time.

Any additional services, extended session time, travel expenses, studio fees not included in the agreed package, or special editing requests will be discussed and approved by the client before additional charges are applied.

14. Studio Rentals & Additional Expenses

If a photography session takes place in a rented studio or another paid location, the applicable rental costs will be communicated to the client before booking.

If studio rental is included in the agreed photography package, no separate studio rental payment will be required from the client.

Any additional expenses that are not included in the original package, such as additional rental time, location fees, parking, travel, or other agreed services, will be communicated in advance.

Clients will not be charged for additional services without prior communication and agreement.

15. Photographer’s Artistic Style & Creative Direction

By booking a session with Sona Photography, clients acknowledge that they have reviewed the photographer’s portfolio and are familiar with the general photography and editing style.

The photographer will make reasonable efforts to follow the client’s preferences and creative ideas while maintaining her professional artistic style.

Specific poses, lighting conditions, weather, expressions, and final image results may vary from examples shown in the portfolio.

Reference images are used for inspiration and do not guarantee an identical result.

The photographer cannot guarantee that every requested pose, image, or creative concept will be achievable during the session.

16. Photographer’s Equipment & Unforeseen Circumstances

Sona Photography takes reasonable precautions to protect and maintain photography equipment and digital files.

However, in the unlikely event of equipment failure, technical issues, accidental file loss, or other unforeseen circumstances that prevent the delivery of the agreed photography services, the photographer will communicate with the client and work toward a reasonable solution.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include rescheduling the session, providing a partial refund, or issuing a full refund for services that cannot be delivered.

The photographer will not be responsible for circumstances beyond reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disasters, venue restrictions, or other events that make the session impossible or unsafe.

17. Agreement to Terms & Conditions

By submitting a booking request, paying the required deposit, or participating in a photography session with Sona Photography, the client acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

These policies are intended to ensure a smooth, fair, and enjoyable experience for both the client and the photographer.

Sona Photography reserves the right to update or modify these Terms & Conditions when necessary. Any changes will apply to future bookings and will not retroactively change the terms of an already confirmed booking without the client’s agreement.

For any questions or clarification regarding these policies, please contact Sona Photography before completing your booking.

Thank you for choosing Sona Photography. I truly appreciate your trust and look forward to capturing your special moments!

Sona Photography
Sacramento, California