— LEGAL / TERMS OF SERVICE

TERMS,
UNVARNISHED.

The short version: we shoot honest, we deliver fast, we own our copyright, you get the usage rights you paid for. Anything project-specific lives in the proposal you sign before the shoot. The long version is below.

LAST UPDATED · MAY 4, 2026JURISDICTION · NEW YORK, USAQUESTIONS · USE THE INQUIRY FORM

WHO THESE TERMS APPLY TO.

These terms govern the relationship between HeckRaiser Productions(“we,” “us”) and any individual or organization that hires us, books a shoot, downloads our deliverables, or uses any image we've made (“you,” “client”). They live alongside — not in place of — the per-project proposal you sign. Where the proposal and these terms disagree, the proposal wins.

THE PROPOSAL IS THE CONTRACT.

Every shoot starts with an inquiry, ends with a written proposal, and the proposal is the contract. It covers the specifics — what we're shooting, who's shooting it, what gets delivered, when, for what fee, and on what usage license. A signed proposal plus a deposit confirms the booking.

DEPOSITS, PAYMENTS, REFUNDS.

  • Deposit. A 50% deposit holds the date for confirmed shoots unless the proposal says otherwise.
  • Balance. The remaining balance is due on delivery, unless otherwise structured in the proposal (e.g. milestones for multi-day work).
  • Cancellations. Reschedules within the same season are usually free — we want the shoot to happen. Cancellations more than 7 days out are no-fee. Closer than that, the proposal's cancellation terms apply (we may have committed to travel, second shooter, gear rentals).
  • Late payment. Invoices unpaid 30+ days past the due date may incur a 1.5%/month service fee, and may pause use of the deliverables until cleared.

COPYRIGHT + USAGE.

We retain copyright to every photograph and video clip we make, before and after delivery. This is standard for working photographers and is not negotiable.

You receive a usage license for the purposes spelled out in your proposal — typically some combination of social media, press, internal team use, your website, and print collateral. Other uses (commercial advertising, paid licensing, reseller distribution, NFTs) require a separate license. Just ask.

Our portfolio rights.We retain the right to display delivered work in our portfolio (this site, our social, press features) unless you opt out in writing as part of the proposal. We will honor a takedown request from a subject of any public-facing photo on request — see the Privacy Policy.

DELIVERY + TURNAROUND.

  • We strive for 36-hour turnaround on most shoots. Larger or more complex projects get a specific delivery date in the proposal — and we hit it.
  • Edited galleries are the default deliverable. Raw archives are available on request and priced in the proposal.
  • Files are delivered via a secure link. Links expire after 90 days unless extended; we recommend you archive what you receive.

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES.

  • Provide accurate logistics — time, address, point of contact, parking, credentials, any required releases.
  • Secure any necessary venue, talent, or location permissions on your end. We'll lift our weight; we're not the rights-clearance department.
  • Tell us about hazards — weather, restricted areas, restricted subjects, anything safety-relevant — in advance.
  • Pay invoices on the agreed schedule.

WHAT WE DON'T COVER.

  • Acts of God / weather cancellations beyond our control. We'll always try to reschedule.
  • Talent, venue, or third-party releases (those are your responsibility).
  • Travel, lodging, or per-diem costs unless explicitly included in the proposal.
  • Edits or re-shoots that aren't in scope. We'll quote them when they come up.

LIABILITY.

We carry our own liability and equipment insurance. Our liability for any single project is capped at the total fees paid for that project — i.e., the most we owe back is the most you paid us. We are not liable for indirect, consequential, or speculative damages (lost revenue, PR fallout, etc.) under any circumstances.

SUBJECTS + PEOPLE IN FRAMES.

For commissioned shoots, the client is responsible for any model or talent releases needed for the agreed-upon usage. For The Untold Project and other editorial work, we maintain documentary-press standards for likeness use; if you're a subject and want a frame removed from public display, send a takedown request through the  inquiry form.

TERMINATION.

Either side can walk away in writing before the shoot date — we'll refund anything we haven't already committed to (travel, gear, second shooter, etc.). Once the shoot has happened, the deal is the deal.

GOVERNING LAW.

These terms are governed by the laws of New York State. Any dispute that can't be resolved by talking it out (and we'll try) is subject to courts located in Albany County, New York.

CHANGES.

We may update these terms occasionally. The version that applies to your project is whatever was in effect on the date your proposal was signed. Material changes get called out plainly — no quiet rewrites buried under marketing copy.

CONTACT.

Questions, edits, or anything else — send them through the inquiry form. We'd rather have the conversation upfront than discover the misunderstanding later.