Photoshoot Rules

This is a notice of my rules for photoshoots with me as ZS Photography. I usually do these photoshoots for free or donations because I like to do them for fun. Following these rules are mandatory, and serious violations of these rules may result in me ending or cancelling the photoshoot. If you have any questions, you may contact me anytime via the contact methods that I send you. 😀

By booking a photoshoot with me, I will send notice to you by the same method on these rules and your acceptance is required.

While these rules are intended to prevent issues that happen in the past, I do reserve the right to end the photoshoot if I feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or otherwise in danger.

Rules

1.

I will not touch you, your cosplay, or your stuff. If something that you are not holding is in my way, I will ask before I touch it to change its location. If I need you to pose, I will show you what I want to do, and then you will need to repeat it. I will not physically guide you into what you want, although I may support things if needed.

While this doesn't prevent me from touching things (for example, holding a sword steady in front of my lens), it limits on what I will hold or do. As such, I also ask that you respect the reverse unless I ask; my photography equipment is very expensive and I do not want to see it broken.

2.

You must bring a +1 to you to our photoshoot. I do not do Solo v Solo photoshoots unless you have been my friend for quite a while.

+1s are important, as it provides an impartial observer to the group. This is for both of our safety as well. I try to bring a second to the photoshoot if I can, but I will be solo frequently.

3.

Unless otherwise negotiated, photoshoots are for 60 minutes, starting from the scheduled time.

If the photoshoot needs to run longer, we can mutually agree to extend the photoshoot. If either of us can't eat into time, we will end the photoshoot right then. I will usually try to show up 15-30 minutes before the photoshoot time at the designated spot, and I will wait up to 30 minutes past the scheduled time. Regardless, the shoot ends 60 minutes past the photoshoot time (so if we schedule for 3:00pm, but you don't show up until 3:15pm, the photoshoot still ends at 4:00pm).

4.

Unless otherwise noted, I do not charge for photoshoots.

I do take donations if you wish to donate to me, but I do not have a required cost associated with my photoshoots. I will not ask for money. I will not ask for things.

If you wish for me to do more editing beyond what I provide to you, I will charge on a effort-for-money basis (more effort = more cost).

5.

You are granting me a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, sublicensable, transferrable license to your likeness only for the pictures I take.

This just means that I have the right to publish these pictures whereever I need to (Google Drive, Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, etc.), and I have a license to edit the photos, or use the photos however I see fit, and that you release your rights to charge me for these rights. This license limits it to only pictures I take; I do not get rights to anything else, including pictures of your cosplay taken by other photographers, including yourself.

I do not transfer my licenses to AI Companies, and I refuse to allow any AI Companies to use my work in their generative models. For more information on how I do or do not use Algorithms/AI, please see the Use Of AI Notice on my website.

6.

Either of us may place limits on where we go, and how far we go from the start location. Regardless, we must go in separate vehicles if transportation is required.

Basically, we can travel around, but both of us must agree on where we are going, and we must travel separately if a vehicle is required. If you're not comfortable on where we're going, we don't go. If I'm not comfortable on where we're going, we don't go.

I do not do photoshoots in private rooms unless I have been your friend for quite a while.

7.

The following subjects are offlimits to me:

  • Photography of Nudity
  • Photography of visible Sexual Acts
    Basically, I don't allow people to get nude and do sexual acts around me while I'm doing photography. I do permit implied nudity, or implied sexual acts, but, yeah, keep your pants on. 😄
  • Photography of sexualized underaged-looking characters.
    Please note that this also includes "aged up" cosplays. I do not do photography of characters in lewd or sexualized ways unless the character is CANON 18 years or older. I also do not do photography of characters that are "1000 year old child" cosplays, e.g. a vampire that was bitten as a 14 year old, forever frozen looking like a child, but they are actually 1000 years old.
  • Use or photography of drugs.
    I do not take pictures of drugs or permit the use of drugs during the photoshoot unless they are medically necessary (such as over-the-counter Tylonol for headaches, or prescribed medication that has been prescribed by a certified doctor.)
  • Use or photography of cigarettes, cigars, or smoked cannibis.
    I am an asthmatic! Using smoke products like this can cause medical issues to me. I also don't want me, my equipment, or my clothes smelling.
  • Photography of forced sexual acts

Advisements

This section isn't about requirements, but merely suggestions to help you maximize your photoshoot.

Location

I would advise that you find the location we are meeting up before the meeting. Do not expect that you will not get lost! Simply walking to the meetup location sometime the day before will mean that you will already know how to get there, and you will be able to navigate there easier.

Cosplays are difficult to walk around in, usually. Make sure you account for travel time it takes for you to get to the photoshoot meetup location! You can't expect to take the same amount of time that it takes for you to walk to the location in tennis shoes versus stilleto heels.

Emergency Supplies

Props break, cosplays come loose, and makeup shifts because of movement will cause problems. Here's a few things you should probably have:

  • Wig Brush/Wig Comb
  • Wig Oil
  • Eyelash Glue
  • Setting Spray
  • Touchup Lip Gloss/Lipstick
  • Bobby Pins
  • Safety Pins
  • Makeup Mirror

Your Health

Cosplays are usually not breathable, and are difficult to be around in. Before your shoot, I advise that you should:

  • Drink some water 🌊
  • Have some calories in your stomach (eat food!🍌)
  • Have already gone to the bathroom.
Photoshoots don't extend because you need to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom.

Post-Shoot Questions

1.
Q: How long does it take for you to edit and publish your photoshoots?
A: For the most part, any photoshoots I schedule with people I start on them within 72 hours of getting home. HOWEVER, you should note that I like to take road trips to these conventions.
2.
Q: When you say you 'edit one picture of your sole discretion' what does this mean?
A: I will pick one picture from the photoshoot that I will do extensive edits, depending on how much I feel I can do. I will not let you know which picture I will pick until I send it to you. Pictures that I edit are like this and on this level.
3.
Q: What do you do with the other pictures?
A: Any picture that is not blurry or problematic I will publish and give you the link to that album.
4.
Q: What can I do with the pictures you provide me?
A: All pictures are default licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. You are free to share and adapt it to however you want (which means you can edit it if you want to). HOWEVER, there are the following guidelines:
  • Pictures may not have the ZS Photography Logo cut off, altered, covered, or modified in any way unless you otherwise provide attribution that links to one or more of my social media sites.
  • Pictures must be accredited to me, and you must specify that I am the photographer whenever they are in use.
  • Pictures must be shared or distributed under the exact same license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
  • Pictures may not be sold, traded, or otherwise provided for commercial gain unless you otherwise get an explicit commercial license from me (you can contact me if you need this kind of license. It costs money if you wish to go this route).
5.
Q: Can I prevent pictures from being posted to your social media sites?
A: Yes. I believe in consent, even if I have gotten a license from you (see above rules!). However, you must permit me at least 5 pictures that I can post to social media sites, unless you otherwise get a paid license from me. I also must be permitted to share the pictures that I do full edits on, although if you have a specific reason, I can prevent that public release.
6.
Q: Do you do private, out-of-convention photoshoots?
A: Yes! If you wish to schedule a photoshoot, you can contact me.