Session &Booking Policies

An appointment is not considered reserved until the required reservation fee has been paid and any required agreement or questionnaire has been completed. Dates and times remain available to other clients until both steps are complete.

Reservation fees compensate the studio for holding the appointment, pre-session communication, planning, and preparation. Reservation fees are non-refundable. Whether a fee is applied toward a collection or purchase is stated on the specific booking page or agreement.

Pricing, minimum purchases, included products, collection credits, payment schedules, and remaining balances vary by experience. The terms shown on your invoice, booking page, proposal, or signed agreement apply to your reservation.

Products, digital files, and artwork will not be ordered or released until the applicable balance has been paid.

Please provide at least 48 hours’ notice when you need to cancel or move an appointment. A reservation fee is not refunded when a client cancels.

Each reservation may be rescheduled a maximum of two times. A third request to reschedule forfeits the existing reservation and reservation fee; a new booking and fee will be required.

Illnesses, family emergencies, and unusual circumstances will be reviewed with compassion, but exceptions remain at the studio’s discretion.

For outdoor sessions, Matt & Shea Photography makes the final weather decision with client safety, comfort, equipment, and image quality in mind.

We generally consider rescheduling when the forecast reaches 40% or greater chance of rain, 80% or greater humidity, or when lightning, extreme temperatures, high wind, poor air quality, unsafe ground conditions, or another weather concern could affect the experience.

Because Tennessee weather changes quickly, the final decision may be made close to the scheduled session time.

Please arrive prepared and on time. Arriving early enough to handle parking, clothing adjustments, feeding, or bathroom needs helps protect your full session time.

Late arrival reduces the available photographing time and does not reduce the session price. Clients arriving 15 minutes or more late may need to be rescheduled when the remaining time is not sufficient to complete the experience or would affect another appointment.

Please contact the studio before arriving if anyone participating has a fever, contagious illness, vomiting, significant cough, unexplained rash, or another condition that could place clients or staff at risk.

Newborn and infant safety always takes priority over completing a pose or setup. We follow the baby’s cues and may modify or decline any pose that is not safe or comfortable for that child.

Do not enter restricted shooting, prop, equipment, or storage areas without a team member.

Parents and guardians remain responsible for supervising children throughout the appointment. Pet owners remain responsible for their animals, including leashes, cleanup, behavior, and any damage or injury.

We bring patience, guidance, and plenty of experience, but successful sessions also require reasonable participation and cooperation. Session time cannot always be extended when a participant refuses to continue or when preparation takes longer than planned.

Personal photography, screenshots of the photographer’s camera, or recording an entire session may distract participants and interfere with lighting, direction, or the final result. Please ask before taking photographs or video during the appointment.

Short behind-the-scenes clips may be allowed when approved in advance and when they do not interfere with the session.

By booking Matt & Shea Photography, you are choosing the lighting, posing, composition, color, retouching, and storytelling style represented in our portfolio.

The studio selects which photographs are suitable for presentation. Test frames, blinks, repeated expressions, missed-focus images, unflattering transitions, and unfinished files are removed. RAW or unedited files are not delivered.

When an experience includes a private viewing or ordering appointment, all people involved in purchasing decisions should attend. Ordering appointments may have a separate rescheduling policy stated in the booking agreement.

Because portrait products are custom-made, orders are final once approved and submitted. Carefully review image choices, spelling, sizes, finishes, crops, album designs, and quantities before approval.

Typical production estimates begin after selections, design approval, and applicable payment:

• Edited images: approximately 7 business days
• Professional prints: approximately 7–10 business days
• Wall artwork: approximately 7–14 business days
• Albums: approximately 14–21 business days after final design approval

These are estimates rather than guarantees. Holidays, shipping disruptions, custom retouching, manufacturer delays, and requested revisions may extend production.

Purchased digital files are provided in the resolution and usage format described in the collection. Our Professional Print Promise includes a professional print with each purchased digital image when stated in your experience terms.

Matt & Shea Photography cannot guarantee the color, crop, quality, paper, or longevity of products made by consumer labs or third parties. Screens also vary in brightness and color calibration.

Inspect products promptly after pickup or delivery. Notify the studio as soon as possible if an item arrives damaged or contains a verified manufacturing defect so we can work with the professional lab.

Damage caused after delivery, incorrect handling, moisture, heat, improper installation, or normal wear is not considered a manufacturing defect.

Matt & Shea Photography retains copyright to all created photographs. The purchase of digital files includes a personal-use license unless a separate commercial license is provided.

Purchased images may be shared with family and posted for personal use. Images may not be sold, entered into commercial advertising, claimed as another creator’s work, or substantially altered with filters, artificial-intelligence edits, screenshots, or other re-editing without written permission.

Any use of client photographs for the studio’s portfolio, website, competitions, samples, social media, education, or advertising is governed by the model-release and privacy terms in the applicable agreement.

Please discuss privacy concerns with us before the session so the correct agreement and expectations can be documented.

We take reasonable care when storing client work, but permanent archival storage is not guaranteed. Clients are responsible for downloading purchased digital files promptly and maintaining more than one secure backup.

Gallery availability, mobile apps, and re-download access may be limited to the period described in the client agreement or delivery instructions.

Clients are responsible for damage caused by members of their party or their pets to studio property, equipment, sets, wardrobe, props, locations, or artwork samples.

Matt & Shea Photography may end or refuse service when behavior is unsafe, threatening, abusive, discriminatory, illegal, destructive, or repeatedly prevents the session from continuing. Ending a session for conduct does not create a refund.

If illness, emergency, severe weather, equipment failure, venue restriction, natural disaster, government action, or another circumstance outside reasonable control prevents the studio from completing the appointment, the studio may reschedule, provide a substitute photographer when appropriate, or apply the remedies stated in the signed agreement.

Weddings, commercial work, limited-edition sessions, schools, teams, and other specialized experiences may include additional terms specific to timing, access, deliverables, and cancellation.