Thank you for choosing me as your wedding photographer. I am thrilled and honored. I love my job, and it means a lot to me to participate in your story and help preserve your memories in time.
Thank you!
I have created this document to inform you about all the details of my wedding photography service and ensure you know its complexity. My wedding photographic practice is, essentially, an artistic work. Every frame has its story, and the final set of frames needs to tell a whole and coherent narrative.
The photographic reportage of such a unique and extraordinary day must transform itself into something eternal. Only a discerning and well-prepared eye can make that magic happen. I am motivated to do so, and I am sure you are, too.
I appreciate the time you'll take to read these terms. Please fill in the form at the bottom of this page and send it back to me to validate our contract.
Thank you!
STYLE
Choosing me as your wedding photographer means you identify with my unique way of capturing light and scene, my particular style and aesthetics.
As a photographer, I explore different photographic techniques, and I don't use the same technique throughout all the frames of the visual narrative of a wedding.
Frequently, I use different technics as the depth of field or exposure contrast to enhance a particular emotion or detail. It is crucial that you understand and appreciate my photographic style as it will be your whole "Wedding Photographic Reportage Service" style.
Also, I usually use combinations of conventional and unorthodox compositions, always intending to tell a good story. Every wedding is unique, and my work is different in each one because I face new and singular emotions, moments and scenes.
My primary goal in a wedding photographic reportage is to capture emotions, feelings, and details that will tell the story of the day and make it eternal.
CLIMATE AND LIGHT CONDITIONS
To have natural and soft light in photographs, we need particular requirements. Adverse weather conditions such as cloudy skies, rain, snow, or others will set specific characteristics to the photographs. Indoor spaces and in low light are not the most favorable or ideal for shooting.
However, I will use my expertise to circumvent some of these adverse conditions should they occur.
EMOTIONS
One of the primary focuses of my wedding photographic reportage is to capture emotions, and I will, at every moment, try to succeed in doing it naturally and spontaneously.
OVERALL CONTEXT
At a wedding, I concentrate on capturing its essence, considering the overall context and not a particular one.
My wedding photographic reportage is not only about portraits. I mainly seek to capture happenings, moments, and emotions artistically and creatively,
not only in a symbolic way. As long as it doesn't compromise my style or personal aesthetics, I will attempt to make every guest feel special in photographs.
SPONTANEOUS UNCONTROLLABLE MOMENTS
The complexity of a wedding photographic reportage resides in capturing spontaneous, uncontrollable and unrepeatable moments.
I can not be held accountable for any actions or conduct of any of the guests at any time of the reportage. Situations like, for example, closed eyes, hands in front of the camera, inappropriate postures or others are uncontrollable and, as you will understand, out of my control and responsibility.
CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHS
My photographic reportage includes photographs of the bride and the groom with their close relatives.
During the event, I will suggest which, in my opinion, is the best time for shooting regarding photography and aesthetics. If the couple, by any chance, finds this moment to be unsuited for shooting those photographs, the risk of compromising those particular photographs is their responsibility.
I can only shoot photographs with other guests in mini weddings (up to 60/70 guests), and it follows the same opportunity criteria referred to above.
For bigger weddings, I recommend having a second photographer on my team.
PHOTOGRAPHS DURING MEALS
Usually, I don't take photographs during meals because they're not interesting, either photographically or aesthetically.
If you wish to capture any particular moment during a meal, you must inform me previously so that I can be aware and prepared.
I will gladly capture that moment as long as I have all the necessary conditions for good photographs in that particular context.
DATA SAVING
All the equipment I use to work with is professional. Before starting the photographic reportage, I always check if it is in perfect working condition.
However, one must prepare for any technical failure, such as the information not being recorded or any harm done to the photographic equipment during the event.
These are situations of a technical nature, very rare in my experience, and totally outside the professional responsibility.
If any imponderable happens, I assure you I will make every effort to minimize the damages.
PORTFOLIO & DISSEMINATION
I would like to use your wedding photographic reportage on my online and physical portfolio (social media, personal website, blogs).
The dissemination of my work is vital to my practice as an independent professional.
Data protection laws protect against the spreading of personal images. I, therefore, ask you to give me written permission for it. In the form available on the last page
of these Terms of Service, you must choose whether you'll authorize the dissemination of your "Wedding Photographic Reportage" images.
Copyright law covers the ownership of the photographic work; hence, all its copyrights and trade rights are reserved.
Any dissemination should credit the photographer, and their use for commercial purposes must have my consent, and its legal assignment requires a previous agreement.
The photographic selection for Portfolio & Dissemination will be a summary of the wedding's best moments and will not compromise personal and family intimacy.
If you wish that your "Wedding Photographic Reportage" images are exclusive and can not be used to disseminate my work, an additional exclusivity fee of 2500€ will apply.
I also rely on you to ensure that any dissemination by others should credit the photographer as Maria Rão.
ONLINE GALLERY
The selection of the "Wedding Photographic Reportage" will be made available to all guests through an online gallery.
The Gallery will be open after I send the photographic work to the Bride and Groom and they've chosen which ones to display.
The Gallery's identification is made by the Bride's and Groom's names and will have an access password resulting from the following scheme combining the date of your wedding: mariarao[day][month][year]
Example: Ann and John's Wedding September 20th, 2016 Password: mariarao20092016
After receiving the Gallery with the "Wedding Photographic Reportage", the couple should share it with their guests. The Gallery is available for 90 days. Note: My computer screen color calibration for a balanced screening of photographs, as are all prints provided by me.
ALBUM
If you have ordered an album, its value must be paid on the wedding day.
After receiving your photographs, you'll have a maximum of 90 days to send me back your selection of 100 to 120 images.
After this period, the price of the Album may increase.
The offer of the Album includes 100 to 120 images, printed across 48 pages and shipping costs to European countries.
The client is responsible for all shipping and customs costs to countries outside Europe.
If you wish to have more pages, you can do so to a maximum of 60 pages with an extra charge of 8€ per page.
The usual pagination time is around 15-30 days and is exclusively made between November and March (low wedding season). Please be mindful of this timing to ensure a smooth composition and album production process.
During this period, I will email you a final version to approve. After your approval, production and shipping will take approximately four weeks.
Please note that the Album offer is valid for one year, counting from the delivery of the wedding photographs.
If there is a lack of feedback from the client or any other reasons on the client's end that might impede the Album's production, this offer will expire over one year and can not be exchanged for services, money or discounted service.
OFFERS & SERVICES
All services and offers in Maria Rão Photography’s proposals are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for services, offers, money or discounts on services.
The Box / Album are offers and can not be exchanged for services, money or discounted service. Shipping one copy Box / Album to Europe is included. Shipping outside Europe is an extra cost and must be calculated individually.
EXTRA PHOTOGRAPHERS
All professional photographers present at the wedding must exclusively be from my team.
Suppose there will be, by any chance, another professional photographer. In that case, you must inform me beforehand and ensure that no photographs will be sold or be part of another professional photographer's portfolio.
DURATION
The length of my service is unlimited or 8H (depending on the package that you choose).
If you choose the unlimited package, I will inform the newlyweds of my intention to end the reportage as soon as I feel I have good and enough frames
of the party and its key moments.
It is expected that the key moments of a wedding story take place in approximately 16 hours.
Note: I must take some breaks throughout the day to ensure I will always be at my best artistic performance. I will communicate all breaks previously to the client
and will never occur during the key moments of the celebration or the party.
DELIVERY
All photographs will be delivered in high-resolution JPEG format through a Dropbox link with an average of 600 images.
The selection of photos is my personal artistic choice. It will be a collection of the best images of the most important moments of the celebration,
the bride and groom, the family and details.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I recommend downloading all images immediately and keeping a safety backup. The Dropbox link and the file storage on my end will expire in one year. You can purchase RAW files at an additional cost calculated upon request.
Usually, I edit around 10-20% of the entire collection of images in Black & White. The choice of Black & White images follows my professional and artistic criteria. Black & White images will not simultaneously have a color version and vice versa.
All photos have post-production color correction. Any other corrections and post-production tasks are extra services you can request separately.
The box is an offer including 100 or 50 prints 10x15cm, depending on the package and cannot be exchanged for services, money or discounted service.
Shipping one copy of the Box to Europe is included. Shipping outside Europe is an extra cost and must be calculated individually.
The client is responsible for all shipping and customs costs to countries outside Europe.
Please note that if the shipped package is returned to the sender, new shipping will have additional charges.
The confirmation of shipping address for the Box / Album delivery will have to be confirmed by email.
Reshipping an Album has an extra charge of 350€ and reshipping a Box of 150€.
MEALS
The client must provide meals similar to the ones of the event to the photographer and her team, ensuring that the facilities where they're served are adequate and satisfactory.
Due to dietary sensitivity, the photographer must avoid spicy food; therefore, she appreciates that clients be mindful of it when planning the team's menu.
The client may choose not to do so if it's communicated in advance. In this case, the client will be charged 150€ for each person on Maria Rão's Team on the event day, and there must be a restaurant within a 3km radius of the venue.
Please note that with this option, the photographer and her team may miss essential event moments due to the extra time required for the round trip to the venue.
PAYMENT
After reading and accepting this contract agreement, you must deposit 50% of the quote's value to book my services*.
This 50% deposit grants my availability for the date* of your wedding. This amount is non-refundable under any circumstance.
The initial 50% deposit should be made by bank transfer to a bank account number I will provide by email.
The remaining 50% is due until the wedding day by bank transfer with proof sent two days before the wedding day, in cash on the wedding day or a maximum of ten days after the wedding. You must communicate your chosen payment method by email and assume all international bank transfer fees and taxes.
All services and offers in this proposal are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for services, offers, money or discounts on services.
*the lack of the 50% bank deposit until three days after the date of approval of this contract agreement invalidates the date booking, and there's a chance that I will book another wedding on the same date.
CANCELLATION BY THE CLIENT
The client can cancel the wedding reportage service at no extra charge since it's communicated until 120 days before the wedding date.
If cancelled 119 to 60 days before the wedding date, the client must pay a compensation fee of 50% of the remaining amount.
If cancelled 59 days before the wedding date, the client must pay 100% of the value of the total of the initial quote.
The 50% deposit, which grants I will be available for the particular wedding day, isn't refundable under any circumstances.
The client can cancel the wedding reportage service at no extra cost by a Force Majeure clause in case of unforeseeable or unavoidable situations or events like accidents, transport delays, natural disasters, diseases, and others beyond their reasonable control.
Cancellations must be communicated by email or by registered post to Maria Rão, R. Rui Sequeira, 62, 2750-190 Cascais, Portugal.
The payment of cancellation fees is due 15 days after the cancellation communication to the same bank account as the 50% deposit. At the end of that time, legal procedures will occur with all court expenses charged to the client.
FORCE MAJEURE
As any other person, I am subject to unforeseeable or unavoidable situations or events like accidents, transport delays, natural disasters, diseases, and others beyond my reasonable control that might prevent me from performing the photographic reportage service on the booked date.
If it happens, I will try to provide a substitute professional photographer, which may be impossible under some circumstances. From this moment on, my service is cancelled. Although I can recommend other colleagues' work if you decide to book their services, I cannot answer for any of their services or actions.
DATE CHANGE
The client can change the date according to my calendar.
If the new date is free, the client can change the date according to my agenda availability and pay a date change fee of 750€.
If the new date is already booked, it is considered a cancellation of service and must abide by the Cancellation terms.
EQUIPMENT
The photographer is responsible for all her equipment and shall ensure their safety throughout the day. In the event of theft or damage by not providing protection, it is the photographer's responsibility, and she will have to meet all the restoration costs. In the case of harm caused by third parties during the event, the photographer will not be liable.
The resulting costs will be the client's responsibility if the third party doesn't cover the expenses.
The photographer has the right to decline, making photographs that will put the photographic equipment or herself at risk.
OBSERVANCE
Both Maria Rão and the client must abide by the terms of service described on these pages.
Please fill in the form at the bottom of this page and send it to me after you have filled it out for validation. It is considered that these terms were read and accepted to this date.
Keep a copy of these Terms of Service for reference. Thank you!