Photographer Agreement

You are an independent contractor, not an employee, agent, partner, or joint venturer of Shuttercat. You have sole discretion over how, when, and where you perform photography services, subject to client-agreed session details.

• You are responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes on income earned through the platform, including self-employment taxes. Shuttercat will not withhold taxes on your behalf.
• You are not entitled to employee benefits including health insurance, retirement plans, paid leave, or workers' compensation.
• You are free to work with other clients and platforms unless you have otherwise agreed in writing.

To receive payouts, you must create and maintain a Stripe Express account. By using Shuttercat's payout system, you agree to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement.

• You authorize Shuttercat to instruct Stripe to hold, transfer, and release funds on your behalf.
• Shuttercat deducts its platform fee (currently 15% for standard members, 10% for founding members) before transferring your earnings.
• Shuttercat is not responsible for delays caused by Stripe's processing times or banking institutions.
• Founding member status (10% platform fee) is granted permanently to photographers who complete onboarding during the founding period.

You agree to fulfill every confirmed booking professionally and on time. Specifically, you must:

• Arrive on time to all sessions
• Deliver the agreed number of edited photos within the stated delivery window
• Communicate proactively with clients about any issues or delays
• Maintain the equipment and skills necessary to perform the services you advertise

Calendar sync is an optional convenience feature. You are responsible for keeping any connected calendar accurate and for the security of any subscription link you share. Shuttercat is not liable for scheduling conflicts caused by inaccurate, delayed, or unavailable third-party calendar data.

Failure to fulfill a booking without adequate notice (minimum 48 hours before the session) may result in account suspension and financial penalties including forfeiture of the session fee.

If a client successfully disputes a charge with their bank (chargeback), Shuttercat will deduct the disputed amount plus any applicable chargeback fees from your current or future payouts.

• If your payout balance is insufficient, Shuttercat may invoice you for the difference.
• Shuttercat will use reasonable efforts to contest chargebacks on your behalf but makes no guarantee of success.
• You agree to provide evidence and cooperate fully in chargeback disputes.
• Repeated chargebacks may result in account suspension or termination.

Cancellations by you with less than 48 hours' notice before a session are considered late cancellations.

• Late cancellation: Client receives a full refund; Shuttercat may assess a penalty equal to 50% of the session fee against your account.
• Cancellation with 48+ hours' notice: Client receives a full refund; no penalty applies to your account.
• Two or more late cancellations within any 90-day period may result in account review or suspension.
• Cancellations due to documented medical emergencies or natural disasters are exempt from penalties at Shuttercat's discretion.

You agree to maintain the quality standards consistent with the portfolio you submitted during onboarding.

• Deliver professionally edited, properly exposed photos
• Deliver the exact number of photos promised in your package
• Deliver within the timeframe stated in your package

Clients who receive photos that materially deviate from these standards may request a partial or full refund through Shuttercat's dispute process. Shuttercat reserves the right to investigate quality complaints and make binding refund decisions.

While a dispute is active on any of your bookings, Shuttercat may temporarily hold payouts related to the disputed booking.

• Funds will be released within 5 business days of dispute resolution.
• In cases of fraudulent activity or serious policy violations, Shuttercat may hold all pending payouts pending investigation.
• Shuttercat will make reasonable efforts to resolve disputes within 10 business days of opening.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Shuttercat LLC, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the platform
• Your photography services
• Your violation of this agreement
• Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property or privacy rights
• Any injury or property damage occurring during or as a result of your sessions

• You retain ownership of all photos you take through sessions booked via Shuttercat.
• You grant clients a non-exclusive, perpetual license to use their session photos for personal use.
• You grant Shuttercat a limited, royalty-free license to display your portfolio photos on the Shuttercat platform for marketing purposes. Shuttercat will not sell or license your portfolio photos to third parties without your written consent.
• You represent and warrant that you own or have licensed all rights in your portfolio photos and that they do not infringe third-party rights.

Shuttercat may suspend or terminate your account at any time for:

• Material breach of this agreement
• Repeated policy violations
• Behavior that harms clients or the Shuttercat community
• Fraud or misrepresentation
• Conduct that creates legal liability for Shuttercat

Upon termination, any pending payouts for fully completed and delivered sessions will be paid out on their normal schedule. Payouts for incomplete or disputed sessions are subject to the dispute resolution process.

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting support@shuttercat.com, provided you have no pending bookings.

By accepting this agreement, you confirm that:

• You have read and understood the full Photographer Agreement
• You have read and agree to Shuttercat's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
• You agree to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement required to receive payouts
• You are at least 18 years old and legally authorized to enter into this agreement
• All information in your photographer profile is accurate and up to date

This agreement constitutes a legally binding contract between you and Shuttercat LLC. Shuttercat reserves the right to update this agreement with 30 days' notice via email. Continued use of the platform after the notice period constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.