Booking Terms and Conditions
The all-important small print!
The following booking conditions form the basis of your contract with Polly Rusyn Photography (trading as The Photo Weekender). By completing the online booking you are agreeing to accept all the conditions below.
Summary of Services
Included: Photographic education and itinerary management delivered by a representative of The Photo Weekender.
Excluded: Meals, drinks, transportation (flights and public transport*, any entrance fees*, equipment, insurance or any other items of a personal nature [*except where specifically mentioned]. Any other third party suppliers (such as bars and restaurants either suggested or booked by us, and any flights and accommodation booked by you) are solely responsible and liable for providing their respective services.
Definitions
Workshop: refers to a Weekender
You, Your: refers to you, the participant booking a Weekender
We, Us: refers to the Weekender provider, Polly Rusyn Photography (The Photo Weekender)
Online: refers to the The Photo Weekender website.
1. Booking
1.1 Minimum Age: You must be over 18 years of age on the start date of the workshop to participate. By booking you unconditionally warrant and represent that you are over the age of 18.
1.2 Booking Form: You must complete the booking form online along with payment in full. Booking is for one person only. For Private Group bookings see APPENDIX 1.
1.3 Non-photographer Friends or Partners: Only the person booked may attend any part of the workshop including but not limited to the social aspects such as any drinks and meals that have been organised by us. Non-photographer friends or partners must pay in full for a place on the workshop by making a booking online to ensure maximum group size is not exceeded. We recommend against bringing non-photographer friends and partners.
1.4 Dietary Requests: You must inform us of these at the time of booking or at least 30 days prior to departure for the purposes of booking appropriate restaurants for group meals during the workshop. We will do our best to accommodate your requests but cannot guarantee that they will be met, and will have no liability to you if such requests are not met.
2. Payment, Cancellations and Refunds
2.1 Payment: Full payment of the stated amount online is required at the time of booking paid online via Stripe along with the completed booking form. For Private Group bookings see APPENDIX 1.
2.2 Confirmation of Booking: Unless you hear from us, the receipt of your payment and booking form means your place on the workshop has been registered. We reserve the right to turn down your registration - a full explanation will be given. Once minimum numbers required to confirm the running of the workshop are reached we will be in touch via email with an invoice. An invoice will constitute an acceptance of your booking and confirmation that a contract exists between us.
2.3 Booking fee: The published price of a workshop includes a booking fee of £25, which covers administration and other costs.
2.4 Cancellation by You: Any cancellation must be made in writing by email. The date on which the email is received by us will determine the cancellation charges applicable. These charges are as follows: up to 90 days prior to the start date of the workshop: loss of booking fee [see clause 2.3]; less than 90 days prior to the start date of the workshop: loss of booking fee and no refund; unless a replacement is found by you with written notice given to us, or found by us, subject to loss of booking fee. Leaving a workshop that has begun, for any reason, will not result in any refund. For Private Group bookings see APPENDIX 1.
2.5 Cancellation by Us: We reserve the right to cancel any workshop for any reason without liability, including but not limited to: the inability of the workshop leader to attend due to illness (if a replacement cannot be found), Under Booking (the situation in which the minimum number of bookings required to run a workshop is not met) or Force Majeure (the situation in which unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, such as war or the threat of war, riots, terrorist activity, civil strife, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, flood or adverse weather conditions). Should cancellation become necessary you will have the choice of transferring to an alternative workshop of the same value or withdrawing from the contract and accepting a refund of all monies paid to us. We shall be under no liability for any costs incurred or expenses made such as for accommodation and flight bookings. We recommend you buy flexible flight tickets, book accommodation with flexible cancellation conditions and have adequate travel insurance taken out as soon as booking is made.
2.6 In the event of being unable to travel due to restrictions created as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic or in the event of FCO advice against all but essential travel to the destination of the workshop: (i) During a workshop: There shall be no pro-rated refund of the workshop fee. (ii) Before the start of the workshop: We shall offer you a transfer of all monies paid to another workshop or a full refund. We shall be under no liability for any costs incurred or expenses made such as for accommodation and flight bookings. We recommend you buy flexible flight tickets, book accommodation with flexible cancellation conditions and have adequate travel insurance taken out as soon as booking is made including "travel disruption".
2.7 Cooling off period: You are entitled to a 14 day cooling off period. Cancellation of the booking must be made in writing via email within this period in order to guarantee a full refund.
2.8 Any refunds can only be made via the original form of purchase.
2.9 Any credits agreed by you to be held by The Photo Weekender are no longer refundable, but can be used in part, with a new voucher code, or in full as full or part payment for another product or service.
3. Your Obligations
3.1 Camera equipment: You must bring your own camera, batteries (including spares), chargers, SD cards and any other equipment. You must have a reasonable working knowledge of your camera.
3.2 Flights and accommodation: Fight and accommodation bookings necessary for you to attend a workshop are your responsibility and we shall not be held liable for any expenses, loss or other damage caused to you by the acts or omissions of the carrier or accommodation provider. We do not accept liability for any loss or additional expense caused by delay or interruption to travel services through weather conditions, civil disturbance, industrial action, strikes, wars, floods or sickness. Such losses or additional expenses are your responsibility. It is strongly recommended that you have adequate travel insurance.
3.3 Health and Fitness: You are personally responsible for being in sufficiently good health to undertake the workshop as outlined. By making the booking you represent that you are mobile and are fit to take the workshop and agree that at any time during the workshop that if you or we deem you unfit to continue that you must remove yourself. Removal from the workshop, for any reason, will not result in any refund.
3.4 Documentation: You must be in possession of a valid passport and any applicable visas or other necessary documentation and accept responsibility for obtaining them. Any information and advice given by us on visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment etc is given in good faith, but is not a guarantee of the most up-to-date information, and we hold no liability for it.
3.5 Acceptance of Risk: You accept all risk involved with regards to yourself and your personal effects when visiting a foreign city, travelling on local transport and taking photographs in public places. You agree to take all reasonable precautions in terms of your own safety and that of your personal effects. You waive any claim against us for any loss, damage, injury, or death.
3.6 Insurance: You are responsible for your own public liability insurance, travel insurance and the insurance of your equipment during the workshop.
3.7 Behaviour: We have a zero tolerance policy in relation to racial, sexual, religious, abusive or disruptive behaviour (for whatever reason) whether it be verbal or physical, and any behaviour that threatens the comfort or safety of other participants, locals, or other tourists, from you leading up to or during the workshop. You must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug regulations of all countries visited, and you also agree to travel in accordance with our responsible travel guidelines. Smoking is not permitted during briefings or near the group during drinks and meals (including in outdoor settings). We reserve the right in our sole discretion to accept, decline to accept, or remove you from any workshop. The workshop leader representing us may direct you to be absent from planned activities or to leave the workshop immediately, with no right of refund. In this event we shall be under no liability for any costs incurred or expenses already made.
4. Accuracy
The information included on our website and provided to you via email or in any other material is believed correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. However, errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change. We reserve the right to change any of the prices, services or other particulars at any time before we enter into a contract with you. If there is any change, we will notify you before a contract is entered.
5. Flexibility
The types of workshops we offer require flexibility and must allow for alternatives. For this reason the outline workshop itinerary and description must be taken as an indication of what may take place on the workshop, and not as a contractual obligation on our part.
6. Liability
We have no responsibility or liability to you for any damage to, or loss of, property or injury to, or death of, persons occasioned directly or indirectly by an act or omission of any other provider or by own negligent behaviour. We have no responsibility or liability to you for any loss or damage due to delay, cancellation, or disruption in any manner caused by the laws, regulations, acts or failures to act, demands, orders, or interpositions of any government, or through Force Majeure [see section 2.5 for definition] You waive any claim against us for any loss, damage, injury, or death.
7. Photography
By attending a workshop you grant permission for images taken of you and images taken by you during the workshop to be used to promote The Photo Weekender (except anything defamatory, libellous or otherwise unlawful) which may include, but is not limited to, advertising, promotion and marketing of The Photo Weekender. If you wish any photo to be removed you must contact us by email and we will comply.
8. Data Protection and Privacy Policy
Please refer to our privacy policy in compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into affect across the EU on May 25, 2018.
9. Governing Law
This Contract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Law of England and Wales and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England.
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APPENDIX 1 - Private Group Bookings
All terms and conditions remain the same with the following adjustments:
1. Booking
1.2 Booking Form: Individual members of the group will be required to complete a booking form provided by us via email. The Group Leader must identify themselves on the booking form. Our contract will be with the Group Leader, who will be responsible for contracting their group members at their own discretion.
2. Payment, Cancellations and Refunds
2.1 Payment: Deposit of £200 on booking, that shall be refunded in full if a mutually suitable date cannot be agreed, non-refundable once a date is agreed and planning has begun. An invoice will be issued once a date is agreed, which will require payment in full within 2 weeks of receipts.
2.2 and 2.3 are not applicable.
2.4 Cancellation by You: Any individual members of the group wishing to cancel are liable to the Group Leader, who has full discretion in deciding how to manage the cancellation. We have no responsibility to individual members fo the group.
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[Amended 25/02/20: addition of Appendix applying to Private Group bookings]
[Amended 27/02/20: addition of FCO / COVID-19 policy]
[Amended 25/11/20: (1) change of policy from deposit and balance - to full payment on booking with inclusion of non-refundable booking fee of £25. (2) chance in FCO / COVID-19 policy from cancellation with loss of deposit - to cancellation with full refund. (3) change of Private Group payment policy from no deposit and full payment - to deposit to secure booking.]