Terms & Conditions
These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern all photography services provided by Ethan W. Photography ("Photographer") and all use of this website. By booking a session, paying a deposit, or using this site, you ("Client") agree to these Terms. Every engagement is confirmed by a signed Statement of Work and Service Terms; where a signed agreement exists, it controls to the extent of any conflict with this page.
A date is reserved only upon a signed agreement and receipt of a non-refundable deposit equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total contracted fee. The deposit secures the Photographer's time and date exclusively for the Client and is non-refundable in all circumstances from the moment the agreement is signed. If the deposit is paid in installments, the first cumulative fifty percent (50%) of the total fee constitutes the deposit; upon cancellation, any unpaid portion of the deposit becomes immediately due.
The parties acknowledge the deposit is a reasonable, good-faith estimate of the Photographer's damages upon cancellation, covering lost opportunity to book the reserved date, planning time, and administrative burden. It is not a penalty.
The remaining balance is due after the completion of the scheduled session and prior to delivery of the final edited photographs. Payment may be made by credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or ACH transfer via the provided invoice; payment processing fees are the responsibility of the Client. No deliverables are released while any balance remains outstanding.
Travel beyond a 20-mile driving distance from ZIP Code 20019 is billed at $0.77 per mile for the total round trip, as determined by the most efficient route on Google Maps, separate from the photography fee. Requested site visits, venue walkthroughs, rehearsal attendance, or location scouting outside the scheduled session are billed at a flat site-visit rate.
Client agrees not to initiate chargebacks or payment disputes without first contacting the Photographer to resolve the matter directly; a dispute submitted without prior communication adds a non-refundable $100 administrative fee, and the Photographer may suspend services or withhold deliverables while a bad-faith dispute is unresolved. All pricing and rate information provided to the Client is confidential.
All cancellations must be submitted in writing. Upon cancellation the deposit is forfeited in full and no additional balance is owed. Rescheduling requested at least thirty (30) days before the session is accommodated at no charge, subject to availability; between seven (7) and thirty (30) days, a rescheduling fee of ten percent (10%) of the contracted fee applies; within seven (7) days, twenty percent (20%). The Photographer may waive or reduce these fees for documented extenuating circumstances.
Severe or unsafe weather reschedules are accommodated at no additional charge, subject to availability. Should the Photographer need to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, the deposit is refunded in full or the session rescheduled by mutual agreement.
Client will provide safe and appropriate working conditions and is responsible for venue access, permissions, and permits. The signing Client retains exclusive authority over creative direction and decisions affecting deliverables; the Photographer is not obligated to follow directives from planners, coordinators, or third parties unless the Client has authorized that authority in writing.
Client acknowledges that events involve photographing guests and agrees to notify attendees in advance that professional photography will take place, via wedding website, invitations, signage, or similar means. Should a guest decline to be photographed, the Client is responsible for identifying that individual to the Photographer. Client agrees to indemnify and hold the Photographer harmless from claims by guests arising from the Photographer's use of images captured at the event.
All works of authorship created in the course of performing the services, including all images in all states of completion, are the sole property of the Photographer, including all intellectual property rights therein, and are protected by U.S. copyright law from the moment of creation. No copyright is transferred by these Terms or by payment of any fee. The Photographer may fully exploit the works for its own business purposes, subject to Section 08.
Subject to full payment of all amounts owed, the Photographer grants the Client a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-sublicensable, non-transferable license to use, reproduce, print, and share the delivered photographs. Personal usage rights include sharing on social media and personal display. Any commercial use (use for business or promotional purposes, including advertisements, products, or media) requires a separate prior written agreement with the Photographer.
The Photographer retains the right to use images from the engagement for portfolio purposes (website, galleries, social media, marketing, and other media) unless the Client explicitly requests otherwise in writing prior to the shoot. Where confidentiality or restricted usage is requested in advance, the restriction extends to all images captured at the event, including those featuring guests.
Final deliverables are fully edited, high-resolution images (unlimited final copies) delivered through a custom Pic-Time gallery for sharing and download. Galleries are typically delivered within three (3) to four (4) weeks of the session date, depending on the season; the Photographer takes the time needed to meet the standard of quality associated with the brand.
RAW files, unedited proofs, and images not selected for the final gallery remain the sole property of the Photographer and are not deliverables; requests for RAW files are respectfully declined. Deliverables are primarily edited by hand; the Photographer may use industry-standard AI-assisted tools for routine post-processing tasks (object removal, noise reduction, masking, minor retouching), with all final deliverables subject to the Photographer's manual review. Client is responsible for downloading and archiving the gallery after delivery.
Services are performed in a professional and workmanlike manner consistent with industry standards. THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE LIABILITY, AND CLIENT'S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY, FOR BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY IS REPERFORMANCE OF THE AFFECTED SERVICES, PROVIDED THE BREACH IS ALLEGED WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS OF PERFORMANCE. TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SERVICES OR THIS SITE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE FEES ACTUALLY PAID BY CLIENT, AND NEITHER PARTY IS LIABLE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES. In the event the Photographer cannot perform due to emergency or equipment failure, the Photographer will first attempt to provide a comparable substitute; failing that, liability is limited to a refund of amounts paid. Nothing herein limits liability that cannot be limited by law.
Except for the payment of fees, neither party is liable for failure or delay in performance caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, severe weather, pandemics, government-issued public health orders or event restrictions, civil unrest, war, or other unforeseeable events. If a force majeure event prevents the scheduled session, the Photographer will offer a full refund of the deposit or work with the Client to reschedule at a mutually convenient time.
All content on this website (photographs, text, design, and code) is owned by or licensed to Ethan W. Photography and may not be reproduced, scraped, or used for machine-learning training without written permission. Third-party services linked from this site (booking, quoting, payment) are governed by their own terms.
Inquiry information is used solely to respond to and administer your booking, is shared only with service providers necessary to operate the business (scheduling, invoicing, gallery hosting), and is never sold. Requests to access or delete your information may be made through the contact below. Our full Privacy Policy explains what is collected, how the pricing estimator handles location, and your choices in detail.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the District of Columbia, without regard to conflict-of-laws provisions. To the extent any lawsuit is permitted, the parties consent to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located within the District of Columbia. If any provision is held unenforceable, the remainder continues in effect. No modification or waiver is effective unless documented in writing and signed by both parties; verbal agreements, emails, and text messages do not modify an engagement.
The Photographer may update these Terms prospectively by posting a revised version with a new "last updated" date. The version in effect on your booking date governs your engagement.
Questions regarding these Terms: via the inquiry form or Instagram @ethanwong.photography. Washington DC · New York · Available nationwide.
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© 2026 Ethan W Photography. All photographs on this site are the work of Ethan W.