Terms & Conditions

Last updated: August 2026

Welcome to Southern Exposure Photography (SEP). By booking a session, purchasing a gift voucher or promotional offer, or using our services, you agree to the following Terms & Conditions.

Please read them carefully.

1. Business Details

SEP is a sole trader business operating in New South Wales under ABN 70 768 611 430. We provide professional photography services by appointment only.

You can reach us at:

Who these Terms apply to:

In these Terms, "client" means:

  • the person who books and pays for a session; and

  • the adult who attends the session and is photographed, or who is responsible for the people being photographed.

Where a session is paid for by one person and attended by another (for example, a gift voucher bought as a present, or a session booked by one family member on behalf of another), these Terms bind both in relation to their part of the arrangement:

  • The purchaser is responsible for payment, and for the terms attached to the voucher or offer they bought (validity, transfer, refunds).

  • The attending client is responsible for attendance, conduct at the session, supervision of any children in their care, image selection and consent, and any additional purchases made at the viewing appointment.

The purchaser does not have a right to attend the session, view the gallery, receive the images, or give consent for promotional use unless they are also the attending client, or the attending client agrees in writing. Where a voucher is transferred as a gift, the person redeeming it becomes the client for the purposes of the session, including for the image licence in Section 11.

If more than one adult attends, we may treat any of them as the client unless stated otherwise before the session.

2. Services Provided

SEP provides professional photographic services, primarily specialising in family, portrait, and lifestyle photography.

Services may include, but are not limited to:

  • On-location photography sessions at agreed locations

  • Professional guidance and direction during the photoshoot

  • Post-production editing and retouching in SEP's signature style

  • Delivery of final images via digital download, USB, or other agreed formats

The scope of services, inclusions, and pricing for each booking are outlined at the time of booking or purchase and may vary depending on the selected package, promotion, or offer.

SEP retains creative discretion over photographic style, composition, editing, and final image selection. Reasonable requests are welcomed, but SEP does not guarantee specific poses, expressions, or outcomes.

All services are subject to availability, weather conditions, location permissions, and other factors outside of SEP's control.

3. Bookings, Rescheduling & Cancellations

Payment:

Payment is required to secure a booking and confirm a session date and time. Bookings are not confirmed until payment has been received.

Payment covers the session booking fee only. It does not include printed products or additional digital images unless stated at the time of purchase. Any remaining balance for additional images, products, or upgrades must be paid in full before final images are delivered.

All prices are in Australian Dollars (AUD). Accepted payment methods are set out in Section 4 and will be confirmed at the time of booking or purchase.

Rescheduling:

Clients may reschedule their session with at least 72 hours' notice, subject to availability.

Late arrivals:

If a client arrives late, the session time may be reduced where other bookings are scheduled. Where possible, sessions may still run for their full duration at the photographer's discretion.

Cancellations & no-shows:

Cancellations due to illness or unforeseen circumstances are accepted without penalty where reasonable notice is given.

Failure to attend a scheduled session without prior notice may result in the booking fee or promotional offer being forfeited, at SEP's discretion. Repeated cancellations, late cancellations, or no-shows may also result in forfeiture. Nothing in this section limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

Right to refuse or discontinue service:

SEP may refuse or discontinue a session if behaviour is unsafe, inappropriate, abusive, or not aligned with the nature of our services.

4. Payment Methods

Accepted payment methods

  • EFT (bank transfer)

  • Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Afterpay (subject to provider approval)

  • Cash (in person only)

Payment timing:

  • The session booking fee (standard $250, or the applicable promotional price) is payable before the booking is confirmed

  • Additional image or product purchases must be paid in full at the time of viewing

  • Final images are released once full payment has been received

Any applicable card surcharges will be disclosed at the time of payment.

5. Image Viewing & Purchases

After your session, you will be invited to a viewing appointment where you can:

  • View your professionally edited and curated image gallery

  • Purchase additional digital images or optional products if you wish

There is no minimum spend and no obligation to purchase anything beyond what is included in your booking.

Purchased images are non-refundable, except as required under the Australian Consumer Law.

6. Image Editing & Delivery

All images presented at your viewing appointment are professionally retouched.

Editing style, colour grading, and artistic interpretation are at SEP's discretion and form part of our creative service. Minor re-edits will be considered on request, at SEP's discretion.

Digital images are delivered via USB or electronically once payment is complete.

Turnaround times are indicative only and typically range from 7 to 14 days, depending on workload and scheduling.

7. RAW / Unedited Images

SEP does not include RAW or unedited image files as part of its standard service.

Clients may request RAW image files for an additional flat fee of $450, subject to availability and approval. RAW files are supplied without further editing or retouching, and are covered by the same licence and restrictions as edited images (Section 11).

8. Prints & Products

Professional prints and products may be offered as optional add-ons.

Prints can only be ordered for digital images that have been purchased. This allows us to maintain quality control and consistent results across all printed products.

Availability and delivery timelines will be discussed at your viewing appointment where applicable.

9. Client Satisfaction & Expectations

SEP is committed to providing a professional and enjoyable photography experience.

By booking, you acknowledge that:

  • Our artistic style is consistent with our portfolio

  • Photography is a subjective service

  • Natural variables (children's behaviour, weather, lighting) may affect outcomes

SEP does not guarantee specific poses, expressions, or outcomes. Any concerns should be raised promptly so they can be discussed reasonably and fairly. See Section 17.

Nothing in these Terms limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

10. Image Storing & Archiving

SEP does not guarantee long-term storage of image files.

While SEP maintains working archives and typically retains image files for approximately 1 to 3 years, this timeframe is not guaranteed and may vary due to storage limitations or operational requirements.

Once images have been delivered, clients are responsible for backing up and safely storing their purchased files. SEP is not liable for loss of images due to client-side data loss, device failure, or accidental deletion.

For digital deliveries, SEP guarantees access to download files for 14 days from the date of delivery. After this period, files may be removed from our systems without notice.

Requests to re-upload or retrieve archived images after delivery may not be possible and, where available, may incur an additional fee.

11. Copyright & Image Usage

11.1 Copyright ownership

You agree that SEP owns the copyright in all photographs, digital files, and other visual content created by SEP, from the moment they are created.

Paying for a session or purchasing images gives you a licence to use those images (set out below). It does not transfer copyright. Copyright will not transfer to you unless SEP agrees in writing.

This is an agreement between us about copyright ownership, permitted under section 35(3) of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). It applies whether the session is booked directly, redeemed from a gift voucher, or booked under a promotional offer.

The photographer's moral rights, including the right to be identified as the author of the images and the right to have the work treated with integrity, remain with the photographer at all times and are not affected by your licence.

11.2 Your licence

Once your session fee and any additional purchases are paid in full, SEP grants you a licence to use the digital images you have purchased, or that were included in your package or promotional offer. The licence is:

  • Perpetual: it does not expire

  • Non-exclusive: SEP retains the right to use the images, subject to Section 12

  • Worldwide and royalty-free: no further payment is due for the uses permitted below

  • Non-transferable: you can't pass the licence on to someone else, except as allowed in 11.4

The licence covers personal use and commercial use in connection with your own business or brand. It does not cover the uses listed in 11.4 or 11.5.

The licence applies only to images you have purchased or that were included in your booking. Images shown at your viewing appointment but not purchased are not licensed to you.

11.3 What you can do

Under your licence, you may:

  • Print the images for personal use, at any lab of your choosing

  • Share the images on social media, websites, and other online platforms

  • Use the images on your personal or business website

  • Use the images in marketing, promotional, or editorial material for your own business or brand

  • Resize, crop, or adjust the images to suit a format or display size

Credit to SEP is appreciated when sharing publicly, but is not required.

11.4 What needs our written permission first

The following uses are available, but only with SEP's prior written permission. Permission may be granted on conditions, and may be subject to a separate licence and fee:

  • Reselling the images, or supplying them to a third party as an image product

  • Sublicensing the images, or granting anyone else the right to use them

  • Submitting the images to a stock image library or similar service

  • Using the images on merchandise or products offered for sale

  • Licensing the images to any business other than your own

Email hello@sephoto.com.au to request permission. We're generally happy to discuss it, but we need to agree the terms first.

11.5 What is not permitted

Regardless of permission, the images must not be:

  • Edited in a way that misrepresents SEP's work. This means heavy filtering, re-grading, AI alteration, or other changes that materially change the look of the image while it is still presented as SEP's work. Cropping, resizing, and format adjustments under 11.3 are fine.

  • Used in a misleading, defamatory, or unlawful context

  • Used to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation by SEP without our written consent

Where an image has been altered beyond 11.3, please don't credit it to SEP.

11.6 Third parties

If you provide images to a third party such as a designer, printer, or publisher, you are responsible for ensuring they use the images within the limits of your licence.

Once files have been delivered to you, SEP is not responsible for misuse of the images by third parties.

11.7 If the licence is breached

If images are used outside the terms of your licence, SEP may request their removal, and may enforce its copyright and seek any remedy available at law. Unauthorised reproduction, resale, licensing, or misuse of images may constitute a breach of copyright law.

SEP may withdraw the licence in the case of a serious or continuing breach that is not remedied after we have raised it with you in writing.

11.8 Questions and permissions

For clarification on image usage, or to request permission for a use outside this section, contact hello@sephoto.com.au.

Related sections: editing style and re-edits (Section 6), RAW files (Section 7), storage and archiving (Section 10), SEP's own use of your images (Section 12).

12. Use of Images & Client Consent

SEP will only use client images for promotional or marketing purposes with the client's explicit consent.

Consent is requested as part of the booking process and may also be given by explicit written or verbal permission. By giving consent, the client confirms they have the authority to do so on behalf of everyone photographed. For images including anyone under 18, consent must be given by a parent or legal guardian.

Giving consent is entirely optional and has no impact on the service provided.

Consent may be withdrawn at any time by contacting SEP in writing. SEP will make reasonable efforts to remove images from future promotional use, but cannot guarantee the recall or removal of materials already published or distributed.

13. Privacy

SEP collects and stores client information for booking, communication, and service delivery purposes.

Client information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which explains what we collect, how we store it, how long we keep it, and who we share it with.

14. Liability & Force Majeure

Your rights under consumer law:

Nothing in this section excludes, restricts, or modifies any guarantee, right, or remedy you have under the Australian Consumer Law that cannot lawfully be excluded, including the guarantee that our services will be provided with due care and skill.

Sessions and safety:

Sessions take place on location, often at beaches, parks, and other public spaces. You acknowledge that these locations carry ordinary risks, and that you take reasonable care for your own safety and the safety of anyone in your care. Parents and guardians remain responsible for supervising children throughout the session.

To the extent permitted by law, SEP is not liable for loss, damage, or injury arising from:

  • the location itself or its condition

  • the acts or omissions of the client or people attending with them

  • pre-existing medical conditions

  • a failure to follow reasonable safety directions given during the session

This does not limit SEP's responsibility for loss or injury caused by our own negligence or failure to exercise due care and skill.

SEP holds current public liability insurance.

Force majeure:

SEP is not responsible for delays or disruptions caused by circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to:

  • Severe weather

  • Illness

  • Equipment failure

  • Government restrictions or emergencies

In these cases, SEP will work with clients to reschedule where appropriate. Where a session cannot go ahead and cannot reasonably be rescheduled, we will discuss a fair outcome with you, consistent with the Australian Consumer Law.

15. Gift Vouchers

Gift vouchers may be purchased online, in person, or through approved SEP promotions. Vouchers are redeemable only for photography services provided by SEP and are not redeemable for cash.

Validity & expiry:

Gift vouchers purchased from SEP are valid for 3 years from the date of issue, unless a longer period is stated at the time of purchase. The issue date and expiry are shown on the voucher itself.

Vouchers that are given away free, awarded as a prize, or issued as part of a genuine discount promotion may have a shorter validity period. Where that applies, the validity period and expiry date will be stated on the voucher and in the promotion materials. The $50 Family Photoshoot Offer is one such promotion and is covered by Section 16.

Expired vouchers may be honoured at SEP's discretion.

Redemption:

If a voucher covers the session booking fee only, any additional digital images, prints, products, or upgrades are purchased separately.

Bookings & availability:

Voucher redemption is subject to photographer availability.

Non-refundable:

Gift vouchers are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash. If a voucher is lost or stolen, SEP may be unable to replace it unless proof of purchase can be provided.

Transferability:

Gift vouchers may be transferred to another person, provided the voucher is still valid and unused. The person redeeming the voucher becomes the client for that session. See Section 1.

Cancellations / no-shows:

If a voucher booking is cancelled or rescheduled, standard booking terms apply (Section 3). Repeated cancellations, late cancellations, or no-shows may result in the voucher being forfeited.

Nothing in this section limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

16. $50 Family Photoshoot Offer

The $50 Family Photoshoot ("the Offer") is a promotional package sold at a genuine discount from SEP's standard session booking fee. These terms apply in addition to the general Terms & Conditions above.

Inclusions:

The Offer includes:

  • One photography session of approximately 1 hour

  • One professionally retouched digital image

  • A personalised viewing appointment

The Offer replaces the standard $250 booking fee for the included session. Additional digital images, prints, and products are optional and may be purchased separately at your viewing appointment. There is no minimum spend and no obligation to purchase anything further.

Package value:

The stated package value of $250 reflects SEP's standard session booking fee. The Offer also includes one professionally retouched digital image, which is not included in the standard $250 booking fee, meaning the Offer's inclusions exceed those of a standard session booking.

Validity:

The Offer is valid for 6 months from the date of purchase. Your session must be booked and completed within this period.

This 6-month validity period applies only to the $50 Family Photoshoot Offer. It does not apply to gift vouchers or any other voucher purchased from SEP, which are valid for 3 years under Section 15. The shorter period applies here because the Offer is a promotional package sold at a genuine discount from our standard pricing, available for a limited time.

The expiry date is shown on the Offer confirmation at the time of purchase. Unredeemed Offers expire after 6 months and may be honoured after expiry at SEP's discretion. Nothing in this section limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

Redemption:

Only one $50 Family Photoshoot Offer may be redeemed per session. Where a client has purchased multiple Offers, each Offer must be redeemed against a separate session, and the included digital image applies to that session only. Offers cannot be combined to obtain multiple included images within a single session.

Re-shoot guarantee:

If you are not happy with your images at your viewing appointment, SEP will offer one complimentary re-shoot at a mutually agreed time and location, subject to availability. The guarantee entitles you to a re-shoot rather than a refund, except as required under the Australian Consumer Law.

Bookings, rescheduling & cancellations:

Sessions are subject to photographer availability. Standard booking, rescheduling, cancellation, and no-show terms (Section 3) apply.

General:

The Offer is not redeemable for cash and is non-refundable except as required under the Australian Consumer Law. The Offer may be transferred to another person provided it is unused and within its validity period.

17. Complaints & Dispute Resolution

If you are unhappy with any part of your experience, please tell us. Most issues are easily sorted out once we know about them.

How to raise a concern:

Contact us at hello@sephoto.com.au or 0468 460 818 with your name, session date, and a description of the issue. Concerns about the images themselves are best raised at or shortly after your viewing appointment, while re-shoot and re-edit options are still practical.

How we handle it:

  • We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days.

  • We will investigate and respond with an outcome within 20 business days. If we need longer, we will tell you why and give you a revised timeframe.

  • Where appropriate, we may offer a re-edit, a re-shoot, or another remedy suited to the circumstances.

If we can't resolve it:

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact NSW Fair Trading or the ACCC. You may also pursue any other remedy available to you at law. Nothing in this section requires you to use our complaints process before exercising your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

Privacy complaints are handled under our Privacy Policy.

18. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. You and SEP submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales and any courts that may hear appeals from them.

If any part of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, that part is severed and the rest continues to apply.

19. Changes To Terms

These Terms & Conditions may be updated from time to time. The most current version will always be available on our website.