Deposit & Payment Policies:

Our payment, cancellation and refund/credit policy is pretty straightforward, a simple phone call or email is all that’s necessary to cancel a reservation/deposit or paid-in-full event, however it is incumbent upon the participant to confirm that the cancellation has been made with Hank Erdmann or his representative if a response is not received shortly thereafter that notice. Do not count on a phone message or email to be sufficient or final until a confirmation of your cancellation has been returned. Your follow up an/or verbal contact is required and your responsibility. We do have to charge a small cancellation fee in most instances as follows (the cost of accepting credit cards and writing checks has to be covered of course). We believe our cancellation fees to be among the lowest in the business. Further more, when a person cancels their participation in an event, that space had been reserved, and the closer to the event the cancellation is made, it is much less likely that the spot will be re-filled, which quite often results in loss of revenue. Non-recoverable costs (most often lodging deposits and instructor fees) will be added to cancellation fees where applicable, regardless of cancellation notification periods. Refunds or Credits may be issued at the sole discretion of Lake Effect Photographic Adventures. Credits issued are good for any Lake Effect Photography event or a specified event for any given situation and have no cash value. Credits issued do not expire or lose value over time.

Cancellation of a confirmed reservation with deposit or payment(s) for any event other than day events (DayShoots and DayTours) will incur a fee plus un-recoverable costs. Refunds or credits will be issued within 30 days of the cancellation if the reservation was made prior to 60 days of the event’s published start date. Otherwise, refunds or credits will be issued within 60 days of the conclusion of the event. However, Lake Effect Photographic Adventures/Hank Erdmann Photography reserves the right to extend the refund period until a full determination of all costs and fees incurred is made.

The full price of an event is due and payable a minimum of 60 days prior to an event or the published final payment date on supplied forms. If a reservation is made less than 60 days prior to an event, the full price of the event is due and payable at the time of reservation. No shows will not receive credit.

Cancellation Periods and Fees:

For Photo Workshops, PhotoTours and Weekend Workshops: (except when LEPA cancels the event)

60 days or more prior to event: 6% plus unrecoverable costs

31 days to 59 prior to event: 15% plus unrecoverable costs

30 days to 7 days prior to event: 25% plus unrecoverable costs

6 days or less prior to event no refund

For DayShoots& DayTours: (except when LEPA cancels the event)

Any cancellation of event more than 30 days: credit, no refund given, minus 6% of fee

Any cancellation of event less than 30 to 7 days: credit, no refund given, minus 15% of fee

6 days or less prior to event: no refund or credit

Lake Effect Photographic Adventures/Hank Erdmann Photography reserves the right to determine all cancellation fees and charges and this determination will be final.

Please note: If a cancelled or vacated non day event spot is later filled and we incur no cost, all fees will be refunded or credited, minus a the appropriate date of cancellation charge of a percentage of the total event fee depending on the cancellation date prior to the event. We understand that occasionally things happen to require participants to cancel events, and while we will not “make money” off such unfortunate happenings, we do have to cover our costs. Day events will not receive a refund for cancellations made, but in instances according to the cancellation time schedule, a credit minus the appropriate fee will be issued. These credits have no cash value, but do not expire or lose value over time. We strongly recommend participants purchase travel insurance to cover any cancellation costs they might incur, especially for longer, more expensive events including air or long distance travel.

In the event of natural disasters or weather relation cancellations of parts of and/or whole events, Lake Effect Photographic Adventures/Hank Erdmann Photography will not be responsible or issue refunds or credits due to such “acts of God”. Again travel insurance is strongly recommended. Most often when weather intervenes, we have taken it upon ourselves to offer a good faith partial or full credit if a portion of the event is partially or fully inhibited by the weather for those participants who have shown up for the event. If Lake Effect cancels an event due to weather prior to the leaving for an event, full credits will be issued and or the event rescheduled.

In the event that Lake Effect Photographic Adventures/Hank Erdmann Photography cancels an event due to insufficient participation, Lake Effect Photographic Adventures/Hank Erdmann Photography will refund all reservation or event fees paid in total.

Late Deposit / Payment Policy:

Lake Effect reserves the right to drop a participant from an event if non-payment of a deposit or any scheduled payment after a reasonable waiting period of a maximum of two weeks and repeated notice of payments or deposits due. Lake Effect reserves the right to determine said time period and the number of required notices of due payments/deposits. In the instance of a late payment or late final payment not being received after above described reasonable period and with above described notice, and where a deposit and or payments have already have been made, Lake Effect WILL subtract the required cancellation fee from previous deposit/payments and will not make a refund or credit until after the event concludes and all expenses have been determined. Lake Effect will also deduct any non-refundable costs caused by such action from said deposit/payments.

Returned Check Policy:

Any returned check will result in a $20 charge plus and bank fees incurred. Participation in an event will not be allowed until this fee is included in repayment of the amount of the check and payment may be required in a different form, such as a credit card though PayPal.

Lodging Policies:

Commuting / non-lodging participants: Over the years lake Effect has allowed participants to attend events that require lodging but to select to not use that lodging option. We realize that this is an especially useful option to folks who may live in the immediate area of an event. This has created many logistical problems for event leaders for the following reasons: In many places where we run our events, cell phone coverage is problematic, sporadic, or totally non-existent. This is especially true in the field on site, where we lose coverage even when we had it at our lodging. Any good photography tour entity and good tour leaders are very flexible as far as photographic sites, and when and where to go, with concerns to local conditions that can vary from day to day and even hour to hour. What may be the plan the evening before, often has to change the very next morning when weather or other issues either force or influence the leader to change plans as to where to photograph.

That flexibility is what gives participants the best opportunities to make the best images. Having participant’s not staying with the group, even when they are close by creates all kinds of communication problems, especially when a site choice change is made after arriving at a site and the commuting participant has not arrived yet. If our leaders/instructors are concerned with someone who has not shown up and have no communication means, the commuter(s) is in effect negatively influencing all the participants at the expense of one or two and we will not do that.

Some of our events have a minimum lodging number in order to get preferred lodging prices, and for those events and possibly others where we do have a non-lodging option, we will offer non-lodging participants to sign up only in the last 30 days before the event, putting them on the non-lodging reservation list as they call and request to be on the list on a first come, first served basis. These participants must agree that they will pay the full price of the event (the non-lodging price) within a week of notification of an open space if they agree to accept that space.

It is for the above reasons we do not allow non-lodging participants (commuters) on most events and do not allow commuters on any event who are more than 50 miles from any of the sites we plan on visiting.

On events where we do allow commuting participants, we state up front that for commuting participants, any missed part of an event, for any reason; bad or non-existent communications, leaders having their first commitment to participants with the group, missed notices of location changes or that notice not being possible for any reason, that the commuting participant takes the risk of missing any part or portion of an event wholly and totally upon their own risk, refunds for any part of an event will not be made. They must also agree to meet the group at the group’s lodging site at the appointed leaving time, even if they live or are staying closer to the chosen field site. This is to prevent delays or commuters missing the group when last minute site changes are made. It also incumbent upon the commuting participant to agree that it is their responsibility to communicate their location if late for any reason to a leader before the appointed leaving time, or if in route, to attempt to communicate their location and check for any last minute site changes. . If communications are not possible and a commuter arrives at the appointed leaving place late, the leader(s) will make a reasonable attempt at leaving the commuter a note (most often at the front desk of the lodging) as to the new location. If an agreement with a leader and a commuter is reached as to a field location to meet at a later time, so that the commuter does not have to meet the group at the regular appointed leaving time and place, and that field site has to be changed at the last minute and communication is not possible with the commuter, it will be incumbent on the commuter to check in at the lodging, where the leader will try to leave notice of the group’s plans. In any circumstance, not being able to find the group for any reason, when a commuter has not started at the appointed leaving time and place, will not result in any compensation by the leader or Lake Effect for a missed portion of the event.

Having had so many problems with commuting participants in the past, many workshop venues (including ourselves on events especially prone to communication problems) simply do not allow commuting participants. We understand that folks who live locally find paying for local lodging annoying if not an unwanted cost. We also find that many folks who do not lodge with the group often regret missing out on some of the camaraderie that the group dynamic creates. We encourage those considering non-lodgers when an event allows that option to reconsider the lodging option for the above reasons. We will allow commuters only on events where we think there is a reasonable possibility that commuters will not negatively affect the event.

Occupancy Choices: Lake Effect offers both single and double occupancy choices on many events that require lodging which is included in the cost of the event. We use many kinds of lodging options and that choice will influence the options available. Some lodging types offer us only single occupancy options unless the lodging is a for a couple (ie. single beds). Where double occupancy lodging is available, we are more than happy to place two participants together per request . If a single participant requests double occupancy, we reserve the right to place that person with another occupant of the same gender. To date we’ve never had a situation where this didn’t work out, but in the event that a participant requests a new room due to conflicts, the requesting participant will be responsible for the additional cost of an extra room if one is available. We will not switch participants around after they have occupied a room. In most instances, a person asking for double occupancy will pay the double occupancy price whether or not Lake Effect fills the other space in that room. In some instances which shall be described in the event write up, double occupancy will not be guaranteed and the participant will be charged the single rate if Lake Effect does not get an additional double occupant signing up for the event. These double occupancy slots will be filled on a first and second signed up, first room filled basis, and repeated one room at a time.

Non-photographic Spouses/Friends Policy:

Lake Effect Photography Adventures will allow non-photographic participants to accompany spouses and or friends on a provisional basis. They will pay a lodging rate equal to other participants for the requested occupancy type, plus a small fee. The non-participant price of a given event shall not be published but will be quoted upon request. Non-participants will be allowed to accompany their spouse or friend under the following conditions only and Lake Effect reserves the right to determine whether or not a non-participant may accompany the group at any time during an event. Non-participants may not be in the field with the group with any serious camera equipment. Non-participants using a simple point & shoot cameras only taking pictures of his/her spouse / friend or the group will be allowed. However if a leader or Lake Effect official determines that the non-participant is taking advantage of the workshop/event more like a photographing participant, they will be asked to stop or pay the additional workshop fee. In addition, Lake Effect reserves the right to make the determination if a non-participant is using the event as a participant and that determination shall be final. At the point of such a determination, the spouse/friend participant will be asked to ask the spouse or friend to stop photographing with the group and will be responsible for leaving the field and or event with said spouse/friend. Lake Effect also reserves the right to not allow the non-participant to accompany the group in the field from the point of a participation determination through the rest of the event.

Non-participants are more than welcome to accompany the group at non-photographic parts of an event, such as meals and special features as determined by the leader of the event. This shall include critiques sessions, but the spouse/friend may not include any images in a critique unless they pay the additional photographic fee of the workshop. Spouse/friends are not allowed to attend any lecture, presentation, or other photographic part of an event unless invited to do so by the leader. This does happen occasionally when it is obvious to the leader that the spouse/friend is just a casual observer.

It is the responsibility of the event participant to council the non-participant spouse/friend that the group will likely be getting up very early in the morning and possibly coming back late in the day, sometimes with an afternoon break, sometimes without any break, that the group will likely be spending the greater portion of the day in the field and will be spending the greater portion of all days of the event engrossed in photographic studies and endeavors. We will not “break” for non-participants who get bored during event activities or want to return to lodging before the end of a portion of the event. The participant is free to leave early from any part of an event for any reason as long as they notify a leader so they do not end up being searched for. This notification is the responsibility of the participant. Do note that in the case of a field session or other event activity requiring car pooling for reasons such as parking space restrictions, vehicle entry restrictions or other reasons, the participant and non-participant spouse/friend may not be able to leave that portion of an event and will have to stay until the group leaves. It is our recommendation when a participant brings a non-participant spouse/friend, that they check with Lake Effect ahead of the event in regards to the availability of car pooling with the leaders or another participant so that the non-participant will have use of a vehicle for other activities aside from the group for at least part(s) of the event.

Cell Phone policy:

We have had problems in the past with cell phones ringing in the field during workshops, tours and outings.  Frankly, this is just plain rude to others in your group and really ruins the creative flow. While we prefer that you leave cell phones in your vehicles, we realize that some folks need to have this form of communication with them for valid reasons. If you need to have your phone with you in the field, we allow it with the provision that is set on silent ring. We also ask that you wait to answer until you have walked away and apart from the group.  If this is longer than the time it takes you to pick up, let the caller go to message. If the call is truly important, the caller will leave a message and you can call them right back. You WILL be asked to leave the immediate area if you are talking on the phone IN THE FIELD at any time during any of our events, and participants ignoring multiple warnings may be excluded from the balance of an event.

The same policy applies to any lectures, presentations, and demonstrations. If we are addressing the group at any time, that time is inappropriate for cell phone use. If we are in an informal gathering, please feel free to answer your calls, although do take the time to excuse yourself and conduct your conversation in private apart from the group.

Smoking Policy:

Lake Effect does not allow smoking on its events! We do not allow smoking in meeting rooms, or at any gathering of the group, in other participant’s cars when car pooling, in the field during field sessions or at or with any group activity, even when the venue may allow smoking. Our participants are by far (more than 97%) non-smokers, many of who can not physically stand smoking near them. Many of our leaders actually have allergies to smoking and feel ill when smoke is near them. Many of our participants also experience ill health effects from cigarette smoke. Many participants do not even tolerate smoking 100 yards or more away because they can still smell it and it disturbs the enjoyment of the places we photograph in. So we just do not allow it. If you are a smoker, please be aware that during our events, smoking is just not possible during the event for long periods of time. It is allowed only in your vehicle if it is not near the group. In the field, you may smoke if you leave the group (informing a leader first, so if we decide to leave we are not looking for you), but only if you do not throw your butts on the ground. We photograph in many pristine, near pristine and natural areas, and we as well as many other users, do not want to see cigarette butts in these areas or smell smoke during their activities in those places. We will enforce this smoking policy rigidly, it is the one area where Lake Effect and its leaders will not be lenient. While we realize, this is a tough addiction to quit, it is not the responsibility of the group to tolerate an addiction, but the smoker’s responsibility to not effect in any way the group with their smoking. If you are a heavy smoker and feel this stringent policy may adversely effect you, you may be better served by using another venue for such events. If you determine this may be the case after making a deposit on an event, you will receive a 100% refund if you state the smoking policy as the reason within 10 days of receiving this notice. If you attend any of our events, you will be bound by these smoking rules or asked to leave the group. We realize that these are very restrictive rules for the smoker, but to 97% of our participants, this is one of the reasons they choose our events over others.

Waiver Form Policy:

A signed waiver form received before or at the start of an event is required for participation in any Lake Effect event. These forms will be emailed with your attached sign-up documents and at the start of events.

Large-flowered Trillium at Aman Park, Ottawa County, Michigan, © Hank Erdmann Photography