Are the pictures you offer truly free?

We have a two tiered product structure: free and paid. Our free product are low resolution digital files, available from our gallery, for personal non-commercial use (license). We were never keen on watermarks or other huge distractions in an image, and so we choose not to use these methods, but offer smaller size images. These digital files are fully capable of generating good 4"x6" prints from your local photo lab. To download the free image, simply click on the large preview of the picture in our gallery, or on the download link to the far right.

What isn't free?

All images in our gallery can be downloaded for free at lower resolutions. These images are often sufficient for social media sites such as Facebook or for creating small prints such as 4"x6" at reasonable quality. Our paid services are for prints produced on our in-house fine-art printer, or for a high-resolution downloadeable digital version.

Why should I purchase prints from you?

Part of our mantra is to provide you with the choice on where you'd like to get prints made, be it with us or with another vendor. That being said, unlike many other photographers, we offer an in-house fine-art print service for the images we have captured. By doing so, we control the entire photographic flow from start to end; from capture to print. This allows us to guarantee the quality of our final product. Having captured the image, we have an innate understanding of the image that another printer might not have. Moreover, by controlling the entire flow, we are also able to ensure that prints meet not just our standards for excellence, but yours as well. If you'd like to have an idea on what the process entails, please read the FAQ item Why are your prices higher than competitors!? under Our Services.

What is a fine-art printer and why does it matter?

Most consumer inkjet printers purchased can make prints, but what is the difference between a fine-art printer and a consumer inkjet printer. This is an entire evening's discussion if you want to get to the nitty-gritty, but for brevity's sake the differences are: colour, media (paper types) and longevity. Fine-art printers are constructed specifically to maximise their performance in these three categories. Modern fine-art printers have expansive printable colours, far more than what's available through most desktop inkjet printers and even many industrial photo labs (although professional labs that cater to photographers would likely carry a pair of these units). Coupled along with this is a choice of media that is diverse; anything from silk to paper to metal can have an image transferred to it. Most importantly however, fine-art printers are renowned for their print longevity - they are capable of producing prints that meet international archival standards set by ISO. A fine-art printer produces prints that will not only look fantastic, but can also last for decades on a unique printable surface that enhances both the colour and longevity.

Why are your prices higher than competitiors!?

Frankly, we believe we create a quality product. Indeed, I'm sure you've heard that many times, but unlike many other photographers, we can guarantee a quality product ourselves since we are responsible for every small piece from capture to processing to the final print. We manage the entire step in-house starting with the capture all the way to prints on a commercial fine-art printer. Our goal is not to ensure a high volume of sales, but rather a high quality product, so much so, we are willing to sacrifice sales for that. When we say we are fanatical about producing quality work, we mean it. One print ordered from us, typically involves a proof that is on the same media, printed to the same size, that is verified for colour accuracy, fidelity, composition, balance, and general aesthetic. If the proof doesn't pass muster, we repeat the process until it does. Only at this stage do we process a final print for delivery. We handle everything in-house, which affords us this intricate control over the quality of our work. We don't outsource our prints through online "pro-labs" and firmly believe that an effective work of art is created only through extreme collaboration and communication between photographer and printer. If you don't believe that we deliver quality - order a print. Don't like it, let us know what irked you about this. Don't think we have the chops altogether, we'll issue a full refund within 30 days of when you take delivery.

What is the difference between the free image download and the purchase-able download?

Resolution. The free download is capable of 4"x6" prints at most (unless you're willing to tolerate some digital "blockiness"). If you'd like the original resolution, to either print or use as wallpaper, or create a family album, then the purchase-able download is the better option.

What is the difference between matte and semi-glossy finishes?

Matte papers tend to exhibit some "toothiness" in their texture, meaning that they have a stippling effect that can be visible up close at extreme angles from the centre of the page. Semi-glossy papers have a smooth sheen for their finish. This often leaves them a bit more reflective, which can be found distracting. To complicate matters, matte papers tend to produce lush deep blacks as well as bright whites, while if you have an image with a splash of vivid colour, a glossy paper is better suited to reproduce it. Proper selection is more a matter of taste than one of "correctness". When you place an order with us, we shall review the selection you make for the images you have chosen, and suggest alternatives or any potential pitfalls as needed.

What is a canvas print?

Canvas is a traditional media form traditionally used by painters. Using a fine-art printer, and some know-how, one can reproduce digital images on this traditional media. A canvas print is in many ways identical to a traditional oil painting, however, there is no 3-D quality to the print, as paint is not layered on in several passes (in the case of oil paintings). Furthermore, brush and paint texture is not visible - the application of ink to a digital canvas print is quite smooth, exposing the texture of the canvas entirely.

Why is a canvas print so much more expensive than traditional (paper) prints?

The canvas prints we create are mounted on stretcher bars in a "wrap-around" style. Unfortunately, stretcher bars are created for each gallery print and the canvas is then mounted upon it. This extra labour unfortunately increases canvas prices. If you'd like to get a rolled canvas, unmounted, we can certainly accomodate that. It reduces our labour cost, which we would pass forward. Contact us for a quote.

What is included in the print purchase price? Will you perform post-processing work on the images?

Purchase of a print in our minds reflects a guarantee that what we deliver has to truly be best in class. The post-processing work that is required for this can and often is quite extensive, involving colour and histogram corrections, curve modifiers, dodging and burning, airbrushing, smoothing, patching and blurring, digital filtering and many other crucial steps. All of these steps might not be required for a print, but we shall perform as many as are needed to ensure that the quality of the print is as good as it gets, and that is what the print purchase price promises.

Can you perform other digital post-processing work, such as creating collages/montages?

We can and this is considered an "a-la-carte" service. Contact us for details on pricing.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept all major credit cards - VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Diner's Club. We also accept personal cheques, however, we shall place a hold on your order until the cheque clears (typically 2-5 business days).

Do you ship outside the US?

Yes, however, since this is quite rare, our online shipping calculator does not account for this. Based on your final shipping address we shall deliver a final quote. Do note that our typical turn-around time is 5 business days for a print. Shipping times vary wildly depending on where a package is being delivered. This could mean that the print could easily take a month to wind up at an international location. After placement of your order, we shall provide you with an estimate for the delivery time

Can you expedite an order?

Almost always yes. When you place an order with us, we shall review it and respond within 1 business day. If you wish to have the order expedited, we can have it processed and completed within 1-2 additional business days. Some images require additional work, and unfortunately, expedition is not an option. We would much rather deliver no product than one of sub-par quality. The surcharge for an expedited order is 50%. If desired, we may also expedite the shipping method.

How long will it take before I receive my package?

We shall process and print your image(s) within 5 business days of your order and then ship it via Priority mail. Typical shipping times are approximately 1-5 business days to the continental U.S. depending on how far you are from California (our location).

How do I place an order?

After finding an image that you'd like to purchase, click on the "dollar" icon to the right of the screen. This will add your item to the shopping cart. You may at this point either continue browsing for images, or view your cart by clicking the "view cart" link to the top of the screen. Here you can specify the type of product you like. Clicking on "update cart" will update the cart's contents, while the "checkout" button brings you to an order review page. At this point, if you choose to proceed with the order, enter your e-mail address and click on the "place order" button. You will be brought to an order confirmation page. At this point, the ball's in our court and we shall respond to you within 1 business day with more details about your order, and capture payment at that point.

I placed an order, but wasn't charged anything! What gives?

Unlike other online ordering systems, we do not capture payment at the instant the order is placed. All orders we receive are proofed first by us, to ensure that we can guarantee the quality of our products for the product options chosen. Once we've reviewed your order, we shall send you an e-mail with details on payment.

Why am I charged tax?

Our ordering system is quite rudimentary, so do excuse us. The tax shown is only what is charged to orders shipped to an address within the state of California. If you leave outside of California, you will not be charged sales tax.

What is your exchange/return/refund policy?

For our high-resolution images, due to the digital nature of our product, once the sale has been completed, we due not offer exchanges or refunds. For our prints, once payment has been tendered we do not offer refunds or exchanges. The only exception to this is if you believe that the quality of our print is lacking. If that is the case, please contact us and let us know what is incorrect or displeasing in the print, and at our option, we shall either replace the print or refund your receipt amount.

What are the licensing terms for the prints and images? (non-legalese version)

For all of our products, usage is restricted to non-commercial, personal use only. Resale is prohibited as well. For other terms, please contact us. For our freely available, downloadable images, you may certainly print the image out, create backups, e-mail them to a friend or post them on websites, as long as its for personal, non-commercial use. If you do post them publicly, then we ask that you attribute us, i.e. state you got it from "Ascribe Photography", or alternatively link to us. For our high-resolution images, we ask that you not distribute them or post them on a public forum. We do allow you to (and encourage!) print them out. Our prints are not to be duplicated.Unfortunately, our interpretation of the Legalese below is not a replacement for it, and so we would recommend you read the licensing terms for the individual products we provide.

Can I use the images commercially?

Any commercial use of any of our images are forbidden without prior written consent. If you wish to use the images commercially, contact us, and we can provide a rate based on your image needs.

What are the licensing terms for the free digitally downloaded pictures?

Any and all freely downloadeable images (the "Images" or the "Image") remain the property of Ascribe. Ascribe grants downloaders (the "User") license to display or print the Image only while the following conditions are satisfied. (1) User must not use the Image for commercial purposes, regardless of whether they are for profit or not-for-profit. (2) User may only display or print the Image for personal use. (3) The Image may be distributed via e-mail or posting onto social networking sites, only if "Ascribe Photography" is attributed, either by explicitly stating this beneath or above the image, or by linking the image file directly to the Ascribe website. (4) Mass distribution or delivery to a third party is forbidden, except as specified in (3). (5) Resale of images are forbidden. (6) The User may create backup copies of the Image as long as conditions (1) - (5) are met. This License is valid for one-year from the posting date of the image on the Ascribe gallery page or the date the User downloaded the image, whichever is later. This License is considered automatically renewed for a duration of one-year, perpetually, unless notice is provided by Ascribe that this License has been rescinded.

What are the licensing terms for the high resolution images?

Any and all images (the "Images" or the "Image") remain the property of Ascribe. Ascribe grants the purchaser (the "User") license to display or print the Image only while the following conditions are satisfied: (1) User must not use the Image for commercial purposes, regardless of whether they are for profit or not-for-profit. (2) User may only display the Image for personal use. (3) Mass distribution or delivery to a third party is forbidden. (4) Resale of images are forbidden. (5) The User may create backup copies of the Image as long as conditions (1) - (4) are met. This License is valid perpetually from the date of actual receipt of full payment.

What are the licensing terms for the prints?

Any and all prints (the "Images" or the "Image") remain the property of Ascribe. Ascribe grants the purchaser (the "User") license to display the Image only while the following conditions are satisfied: (1) User must not use the Image for commercial purposes, regardless of whether they are for profit or not-for-profit. (2) User may only display the Image for personal use. (3) Mass distribution of the Image is forbidden. (4) Resale of images are forbidden. (5) The User may not duplicate the Image. This License is valid perpetually from the date of actual receipt of full payment.