Policies

POLICIES

Booking & Payment Policies

  • Retainer Fee: A non-refundable retainer of 30% of your selected package price is required to secure your date. This is not an extra fee; it is fully applied toward your total collection balance.
  • Rescheduling (One-Time Courtesy): We understand that unexpected events occur. Requests to reschedule for general reasons must be submitted at least 15 days prior to your scheduled session. Exceptions for shorter notice (within 48 hours) will be granted strictly for verified medical emergencies or severe natural disasters. If these conditions are met, you are allowed one (1) complimentary reschedule, and your original reservation fee will be transferred to your new date. Any non-emergency request made with less than 15 days’ notice, or any second rescheduling request, will require a new reservation fee.

Session Logistics & Attendance

  • Punctuality: Your session is carefully scheduled to ensure the highest quality of service. Arrivals more than 15 minutes late may result in a shortened session to avoid affecting subsequent appointments.
  • Forfeiture of Deposit: Arrivals later than 30 minutes, or failure to show up (No-Show), will result in the immediate cancellation of your session and the forfeiture of the 30% retainer fee.
  • Additional Participants: Collections are designed for the immediate family (parents and children). Inclusion of extended family members (grandparents, cousins, etc.) will incur an additional fee of $50 per person.
  • Travel & External Fees: Studio sessions are held in Alpharetta. Outdoor sessions beyond a 10-mile radius from zip code 30004 are subject to a travel fee. Any parking, permit, or entrance fees are the sole responsibility of the client.

Image Delivery & Editing

  • Digital Delivery & Turnaround Time: Collections consist of high-resolution digital images only. Your final hand-edited gallery will be delivered within 20 calendar days after your selection. Expedited Gallery Turnaround (5–8 business days) is available for a $200 fee.
  • Raw or Unedited Files: To maintain the artistic integrity of our brand, unedited or RAW files are not available for viewing or purchase. We only deliver fully polished, fine-art masterpieces.

Studio Property & Care

  • Wardrobe & Studio Property: Clients have full access to our exclusive gown collection. Please note that clients are responsible for any significant damage caused to studio gowns, props, or equipment during the session.

Artistic Style & Editing Policy

  • Signature Editorial Style: Marilu Art Photography specializes in a High-End Editorial Style. Our post-processing is meticulous and detailed, focusing on fine-art skin retouching that preserves natural skin texture and pores while achieving a polished, magazine-quality finish. By booking, you acknowledge that you have reviewed our portfolio and choose us specifically for this sophisticated, artistic aesthetic.
  • Magic Composition: Creating our signature magical composites is a deeply artistic process fueled by inspiration and imagination. To ensure the highest quality of art, the selection of the image and the specific elements of the magical edit are left entirely to the photographer’s creative discretion.
    We love hearing your ideas and vision beforehand! However, please note that the final artistic choices and the creative execution belong solely to the photographer. By booking these special edits, you are trusting the artist’s eye to deliver a unique, breathtaking masterpiece that reflects our studio’s signature style.
  • Artistic Autonomy: Final color grading and retouching levels are at the sole discretion of the photographer. We do not mimic the editing styles of other photographers, as our work is defined by its unique editorial depth and Fine Art finish.
  • Editing Integrity: Our editing process is an essential part of our artistic identity. We do not provide “natural-only” or Lightroom-only edits (in any of the packages, just in the soft retouch purchases). Once the final gallery is delivered, no further modifications to the editing style will be made, as the images represent the professional standards of our brand.