Adventure Photography Tours

Adventure Photography Workshop & Adventure Policies

Registration

All registrations are accepted in the order received. Workshops typically require only online registration and payment to be validated. When specified for all domestic adventures, and all international adventures, you must sign and mail an original copy of the registration form and waiver to us. These forms must be received 45 days prior to the trip in order to proceed with your registration unless an earlier deadline is specified in the Adventure Details. A deposit or payment is required for all adventures/workshops and upon approval of registration, we will email, send you, or call with a confirmation.

Inclusions ~ Exclusions

For the photography tours (unless indicated in the adventure details section) the field guidance and instruction are included in the registration fee but all other expenses, including transportation, accommodations, and meals are excluded and are the responsibility of the participant.

Deposit & Payment

The workshop/adventure fees are for instruction only. All other expenses, including transportation, accommodations, and meals are the responsibility of the participant. Early registration is strongly suggested since we have limited spaces available. Please follow the deposit and payment guidelines and the Deposit/Date requirements based on the workshop or adventure instructions. A deposit or payment is required for all adventures and the balance of adventures is due 45 days prior to the commencement of the adventure. If you choose the deposit option for your photo tour, the balance is due 45-days prior to domestic adventures and 120 days prior to international adventures. The balance can be paid by either credit card or check. Please contact us in sufficient time so that an appropriate invoice can be emailed to you prior to your due date.

Insurance for Tours

Island Images Professional Photography Studio, Inc. reserves the right to cancel any workshop or photographic adventure for any reason. We are also not responsible for any monetary loss due to your personal circumstances while traveling to, on, or from one of our adventures or events. This is not limited to any foreseen or unforeseen events, such as weather, government shutdowns, flight cancellations, etc. For your protection, both Travel and Medical Emergency Evacuation Insurance valid in your destination is recommended for domestic tours and strongly urged to be purchased for international tours. You can purchase trip insurance at a minimal cost and this will minimize the risk of monetary loss due to unforeseen delays, illness, or other personal circumstances. Please check out site like Travelex or any one of the many other travel insurance companies available and take the time to compare the plans offered.

Itineraries Subject to Change

Adventure itineraries have been carefully put together based on optimizing photographic conditions, time, and locations. However, should events arise that are beyond our control, activities, and hotel arrangements are subject to change. When possible, advance notice for significant changes will be given to all participants, as well as alternatives and cost differences if any. If substitutions are necessary we will schedule something as similar as possible.

Accommodations

Our tours usually reserve mid-range accommodations as the host hotel but all participants are welcome to reserve any hotel of their choice. Some destinations may lack some modern amenities; however, we will select the most comfortable and reasonable for the destination and surrounding area. You will be informed in the details if the accommodations will be a bit “RUSTIC”

Inclement Weather Policy

It is our policy to conduct the tour during most periods of inclement weather; however, where extraordinary circumstances warrant, due to harsh or wet conditions or other unforeseen business interruption, our company reserves the right to cancel any portion of the adventure for the safety of all attendees and organizers. When possible, we will replace any outdoor activities with indoor photographic opportunities and/or presentations of post-processing techniques or photographic critiques.

Health

The majority of workshops and adventures are not very strenuous,(unless stated in the workshop or tour details), and anyone who is of average fitness should be able to take part in the activities. Only you can determine that the scheduled activity is appropriate to your physical abilities. You are personally responsible for choosing to take part in the activity. By submitting a signed registration form, waiver, and your deposit, you certify that you do not knowingly have any physical or other considerations of disability that would create a risk for you or other participants.

Being Prepared

You will be responsible for studying all pre-adventure information; for bringing all equipment, personal items, and appropriate clothing, and for acting in a manner considerate of fellow participants. We reserve the right to cancel any activity and to admit or refuse any person as a participant in any activity. The workshop or adventure leader's judgment shall provide the ultimate determination of an individual's ability to participate in, or continue to participate in, any activity or program.

Acknowledgments of Risks

By attending one of our workshops and adventures you are accepting certain risks. Your registration and signed waiver shall serve as a release of our liability and a complete assumption of all risks by you and your heirs, administrator, executor, successors, and assign for all family members and any persons accompanying you. By signing the waiver, your signature on the application/waiver indicates that you are aware that travel, wherever, it may be and by whatever means, involves some inherent risk of injury, illness, death, loss, or damage to personal property, which may be caused by acts of nature, negligence or actions of others. In consideration of, and as part of the payment for your participation in a program, workshop, excursion, expeditions, other activities, or any program that J. Scott Kelly and Island Images Professional Photography Studio, Inc. or their assigns, may be conducting, you are voluntarily releasing J. Scott Kelly and Island Images Professional Photography Studio, Inc., their employees assigns, independent contractors, and all those involved with it, from any liabilities, because, by participating you agree to assume all risks yourself. You are voluntarily traveling to areas that may be a remote, foreign, mountainous, wilderness, wild rivers, remote deserts, which may not be maintained to the standards you are accustomed to and therefore may involve certain additional risks, dangers, and inconveniences including, but limited to, terrorism, forces of nature, wild animals, hotel accommodations, airplane, vehicles, trains, boats, roads, walkways, trails, and other means of transportation.

Workshop Participant Cancellation Policy

Please notify us as soon as possible if you must withdraw from a workshop. For local workshops, we request at least a 48-hour notice, unless a longer time frame is stated in the specific workshop's details. A 75% refund (less a 25% administration fee) will be given with adequate (> 48 hours) notice to us.

Adventure Participant Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to participate or choose to cancel your registration, the following Refund Schedule (less a 25% administration fee) will apply, unless a different schedule is specifically listed in the Adventure Details section of the adventure for which you are registered.

90 or more days prior to adventure begin date: 100% refund

89-60 days prior to adventure begin date: 75% refund

59-45 days prior to adventure begin date: 50% refund

44 days or fewer prior to adventure begin date: 0% refund

International Adventure Participant Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to participate or choose to cancel your registration, the following Refund Schedule (less a 25% administration fee) will apply, unless a different schedule is specifically listed in the Adventure Details section of the adventure for which you are registered.

150 or more days prior to adventure begin date: 100% refund

149-120 days prior to adventure begin date: 75% refund

119-90 days prior to adventure begin date: 50% refund

89 days or fewer prior to adventure begin date: 0% refund

Cancellation Policy - Adequate Notice of Cancellation - When to Buy Travel Tickets

For local workshops and domestic adventures, we reserve the right to cancel at any time due to inadequate enrollment participation or unforeseen circumstances and all fees and deposits will be refunded in full. In the event an adventure or workshop must be canceled due to inadequate participation or unforeseen circumstances, all fees and deposits will be refunded in full based on adequate notice to you. The Adequate Notice is typically 30-45 days in advance of the adventure beginning date unless specified in the individual Adventure Details. If you wish to purchase tickets before this date to take more advantage of low fares or specials, make sure you get travel insurance to protect yourself. Once adequate participation has been met, a notice will be sent to those registered so they can feel secure in purchasing travel tickets. For some adventure destinations and times of the year, the Adequate Notice maybe 90 days or more so that lodging reservations and travel tickets can be obtained properly.