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Legal

Refund & Cancellation Policy

This policy explains when money is refundable, how deposits work, what happens if a shoot is cancelled or postponed, and how merchandise returns are handled. It applies to every booking and order placed through shotbymason.com.

Last updated: 6 September 2026Legal Version 1.1 · Effective 30 August 2026

1.Deposits

Most bookings require a deposit to hold the date. The deposit reserves time that cannot then be offered to anyone else and covers planning, permits, travel arrangements and preparation.

  • A date is only held once the deposit reflects in the business account.
  • The deposit forms part of the total shoot fee, not an extra charge.
  • The balance is due as set out on your invoice.

2.If you cancel

  • More than 14 days before the shoot: the deposit is refunded in full, or moved to a new date within 3 months, whichever you prefer.
  • 7 to 14 days before the shoot: the deposit may be moved once to a new date within 3 months; it is not refundable in cash.
  • Less than 7 days before the shoot: the deposit is not refundable, because the date and travel can no longer be re-booked.
  • Any amount paid above the deposit for work not yet done is refunded.
Cancellations must be sent in writing to bookings@shotbymason.com. The date and time your email arrives is what counts.

3.If Mason cancels

If the shoot cannot go ahead because of illness, equipment failure or any other reason on our side, you are offered a new date first. If no suitable date can be agreed, everything you have paid: including the deposit: is refunded in full.

4.Weather, airspace and safety

Outdoor, aviation and motorsport shoots depend on weather, airspace and event access. If conditions are unsafe or unworkable, the shoot is postponed at no extra cost and the deposit carries over. Postponement for weather is not treated as a cancellation by either side.

5.Late arrival and no-shows

  • Time lost through late arrival is deducted from the booked session, not added to the end.
  • If nobody arrives within 45 minutes of the agreed start and there is no contact, the session is treated as a same-day cancellation.

6.Delivered photography

Photography is a creative service. Once a shoot has taken place and edited images have been delivered, the fee for that work is not refundable, because the time, travel and editing cannot be returned.

If something is wrong

  • Tell us within 7 days of delivery and describe the problem.
  • Technical faults such as corrupt files, missing agreed shots or the wrong file format are fixed or reshot at no cost.
  • Re-edits of colour, crop or retouching are handled once per gallery at no cost where reasonable.
  • Personal taste in editing style is not a technical fault; the style shown in the portfolio is the style delivered.

7.Merchandise and prints

  • Faulty, damaged or incorrect items: reported within 7 days of delivery, replaced or refunded in full including return postage.
  • Change of mind on a stock item: returned unused and in original condition within 14 days of delivery for a refund of the item price; return postage is yours.
  • Personalised items, meaning anything printed with your name, Instagram handle, QR code or custom artwork, cannot be returned for a change of mind, because they cannot be resold.
Nothing here takes away your rights under the South African Consumer Protection Act, including the right to return unsafe or defective goods.

8.How refunds are paid

  • Refunds are paid in South African Rand (ZAR) to the account the payment came from.
  • Refunds are processed within 10 business days of being agreed.
  • Bank charges on international transfers are deducted from the refunded amount.
  • Card refunds may take a further few days to appear, depending on your bank.

9.Asking for a refund

Email accounts@shotbymason.com with your booking or invoice reference, the date of the shoot or order, and what you would like resolved. You will get a reply within 5 business days.

If we cannot agree, the matter is first addressed in good faith between us, and either side may then refer it to the relevant South African consumer forum.