IMPORTANT: Please read this document in its entirety. Once you have read and understood the policy, complete and submit the acknowledgment and electronic signature form at the bottom of this page.
IMPORTANT: If you do not understand or agree with any part of this policy, do not sign the acknowledgment or proceed with your workshop booking.
PLEASE READ THIS POLICY BEFORE BOOKING A WORKSHOP.
Captured Wilderness photography workshops have limited availability. Small-group field workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants so that each participant receives meaningful instruction and individual attention.
When you book a workshop, a place is reserved specifically for you. That place may then become unavailable to another customer.
This policy explains what happens if your plans change, if you need to cancel or transfer your reservation, or if Captured Wilderness has to cancel, postpone or relocate a workshop.
The basic principle is simple:
If your plans change early enough, we would rather move you to another workshop than have you lose part of your payment.
If you cancel more than five days before your workshop, you may transfer your reservation or receive a 75% refund.
If you cancel within five days of the workshop, no refund will be issued.
If Captured Wilderness cancels the workshop, you may receive a 100% refund or transfer 100% of your payment to another available workshop.
1. IF YOUR PLANS CHANGE
We understand that sometimes plans change.
If you can no longer attend the workshop you booked, please contact Captured Wilderness as soon as possible.
Whenever possible, we would rather help you attend a later workshop than have you cancel outright and lose part of your workshop fee.
If you contact Captured Wilderness before the five-day cancellation deadline, you may request to transfer your reservation to another available workshop instead of canceling.
2. TRANSFERRING TO A LATER WORKSHOP
If you contact Captured Wilderness more than five days before your scheduled workshop start time, you may request to transfer your reservation to another available workshop.
When an appropriate replacement workshop is available, 100% of the workshop fee you have already paid will be applied to the replacement workshop.
No 25% cancellation deduction will be made when an eligible reservation is transferred rather than canceled.
If the replacement workshop costs more than your original workshop, you will be responsible for paying the difference before the new reservation is confirmed.
If the replacement workshop costs less, Captured Wilderness will advise you how the difference will be handled before the transfer is completed.
Transfers are subject to availability. A particular workshop or date cannot be guaranteed until Captured Wilderness confirms the transfer.
A transfer is intended to help customers whose plans genuinely change. It is not intended to allow participants to repeatedly reserve workshop places and move them from one date to another.
Captured Wilderness therefore reserves the right to limit repeated transfer requests when they unreasonably interfere with workshop availability.
3. CANCELLATION MORE THAN FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE WORKSHOP
If you prefer to cancel rather than transfer your reservation, you may do so.
If you cancel more than five days before the scheduled workshop start time, you will receive a refund of 75% of the workshop fee paid.
The remaining 25% is non-refundable.
The non-refundable portion recognizes that a limited workshop place was reserved specifically for you and may have prevented another customer from purchasing that place.
If you still want to attend a Captured Wilderness workshop at another time, please consider requesting a transfer instead.
An eligible transfer allows you to retain 100% of the value of the workshop fee you have already paid.
4. THE FIVE-DAY CANCELLATION AND TRANSFER DEADLINE
The cancellation and transfer deadline is five days before the scheduled workshop start time.
Once that deadline has passed, your workshop fee becomes non-refundable, and your reservation can no longer normally be transferred to another workshop.
For example:
If your workshop is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM on Saturday, the cancellation and transfer deadline is 9:00 AM on the preceding Monday.
A cancellation received before that deadline qualifies for a 75% refund.
An eligible transfer requested before that deadline allows 100% of the amount paid to be transferred to another available workshop.
A cancellation received at or after that deadline does not qualify for a refund.
5. CANCELLATION WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF THE WORKSHOP
If you cancel within five days of the scheduled workshop start time, including on the day of the workshop, no refund will be issued.
This includes circumstances such as:
- changing your mind;
- personal scheduling conflicts;
- forgetting about the workshop;
- transportation or vehicle problems;
- deciding that you no longer wish to participate;
- discovering that you are unable to meet the disclosed physical requirements of the workshop;
- deciding that the expected weather or conditions are unsuitable for you personally;
- arriving too late to participate;
- failing to attend; or
- otherwise becoming unable or unwilling to attend.
You are encouraged to contact Captured Wilderness even when an unexpected problem occurs.
However, contacting Captured Wilderness after the five-day deadline has passed does not create an entitlement to a refund or transfer.
6. SAME-DAY CANCELLATIONS AND NO-SHOWS
If Captured Wilderness conducts the workshop as scheduled and you cancel on the day of the workshop or fail to attend, no refund will be issued.
Your reservation purchased a limited place that could otherwise have been occupied by another participant.
The fact that you ultimately did not use that place does not transfer the financial cost of your decision or inability to attend to Captured Wilderness.
7. PHYSICAL ABILITY, TERRAIN AND ACCESSIBILITY
Nature and wildlife photography workshops take place outdoors and may involve physical activity.
Depending on the workshop and location, this may include walking, standing for extended periods, carrying photography equipment, hills, slopes, mud, sand, rocks, roots, snow, ice, uneven ground, proximity to water or other outdoor conditions.
You are responsible for determining before booking whether you are reasonably capable of participating in the workshop.
If you have questions or concerns about walking distances, terrain, mobility, accessibility or other physical requirements, please contact Captured Wilderness before booking.
We will provide the information reasonably available about the workshop location so that you can make your own decision.
If Captured Wilderness conducts the workshop as scheduled and you arrive but discover that you cannot or do not wish to negotiate the terrain or meet the physical requirements of the workshop, no refund will be issued.
You are never required or expected to attempt terrain or an activity that you believe is unsafe or beyond your abilities.
You always have the right to decline an activity or stop participating.
Choosing not to participate or deciding to stop participating, however, does not create an entitlement to a refund when the workshop itself continues as scheduled.
8. LEAVING A WORKSHOP EARLY
If you voluntarily leave a workshop before it is completed, no full or partial refund will be issued for the unused portion of the workshop.
This includes leaving because of personal circumstances, physical ability, discomfort with conditions, equipment problems, transportation requirements, or simply deciding that you no longer wish to continue.
You always retain the right to stop participating if you believe continuing would be unsafe or inappropriate for you.
Your right to stop participating does not create an entitlement to a refund for the portion of the workshop you choose not to attend.
9. REMOVAL FOR UNSAFE OR UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT
Captured Wilderness reserves the right to immediately remove a participant from a workshop when their conduct creates a serious safety, legal or operational concern.
Reasons may include:
- deliberately disregarding reasonable safety instructions;
- intentionally harassing, approaching, provoking or endangering wildlife;
- threatening or unnecessarily endangering another person;
- unlawful activity;
- entering prohibited or closed areas;
- serious or repeated violations of park or property rules;
- harassment or seriously disruptive behavior;
- impairment that creates a safety concern; or
- other conduct that places participants, members of the public, wildlife, property, permits or access to the workshop location at unnecessary risk.
A participant removed from a workshop for serious misconduct will not receive a refund for any unused portion of the workshop.
10. WEATHER AND OUTDOOR CONDITIONS
Photography workshops are outdoor activities.
Less-than-perfect weather does not automatically mean that a workshop will be canceled.
Clouds, light rain, cold, heat, wind, changing light and other ordinary variations in outdoor conditions may simply become part of the photographic experience.
Weather forecasts are also not guarantees, and conditions may change before or during a workshop.
Captured Wilderness will determine whether weather or environmental conditions make it unreasonable or unsafe to conduct the workshop.
If Captured Wilderness determines that the workshop can reasonably and safely proceed, the workshop remains scheduled.
A participant’s personal decision not to attend because of the forecast or prevailing conditions does not create an entitlement to a refund when Captured Wilderness conducts the workshop as scheduled.
11. WILDLIFE AND NATURAL CONDITIONS
Nature and wildlife are unpredictable.
Captured Wilderness cannot guarantee the presence, location, behavior or cooperation of any particular animal, bird, insect or other wildlife.
The absence of a particular wildlife subject is not a reason for cancellation or a refund.
Likewise, ordinary variations in light, cloud cover, vegetation, seasonal conditions, water levels, temperature, wildlife activity or other natural conditions do not automatically result in cancellation.
Nature photography involves working with the conditions and subjects that nature provides.
However, Captured Wilderness may cancel, postpone or relocate a workshop when natural or environmental conditions make the primary purpose of that particular workshop substantially impossible or create an unreasonable safety risk.
For example, a Night Sky Photography Workshop may be postponed or canceled when conditions make meaningful night-sky photography impossible.
12. REASONS CAPTURED WILDERNESS MAY CANCEL, POSTPONE OR RELOCATE A WORKSHOP
Captured Wilderness does not cancel workshops without good reason.
However, circumstances may arise that make conducting a workshop unsafe, unlawful, impractical or impossible.
Captured Wilderness may cancel, postpone, relocate or reschedule a workshop for reasons including, but not limited to:
- Unsafe or severe weather, including thunderstorms, lightning, high winds, extreme heat or cold, heavy rain or snow, ice, flooding, dangerous road conditions, poor air quality, severe weather warnings or other conditions creating an unreasonable safety risk.
- Closure or restricted access to the workshop location, including park closures, trail closures, emergency restrictions, road closures, wildfire, flooding, construction, maintenance, law-enforcement activity or other circumstances preventing reasonable access.
- Loss, suspension or unexpected unavailability of a required permit, authorization or permission necessary for Captured Wilderness to provide instruction at the location.
- Instructor illness, injury or medical emergency that makes it unreasonable or unsafe for the instructor to conduct the workshop.
- Family or personal emergency affecting the instructor when the circumstances could not reasonably have been anticipated or avoided.
- Insufficient enrollment, subject to the provisions below.
- Conditions at the workshop location that create an unreasonable safety risk, even when those conditions were not apparent from weather forecasts or other information available beforehand.
- Government, park, emergency-service or property-owner instructions or restrictions that prevent or materially interfere with the workshop.
- Natural or environmental conditions that substantially prevent the primary purpose of the workshop from being carried out.
- Unexpected circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Captured Wilderness that make conducting the workshop unsafe, unlawful, impractical or impossible.
13. INSUFFICIENT ENROLLMENT
Small-group workshops are normally scheduled for a minimum of three participants and a maximum of six participants.
If fewer than three participants are booked by the applicable enrollment deadline, Captured Wilderness may, at the instructor’s discretion, cancel, postpone or proceed with the workshop as scheduled.
The three-participant minimum does not require Captured Wilderness to cancel a workshop simply because fewer than three participants are booked.
The instructor may choose to conduct the workshop with one or two participants when circumstances permit.
If Captured Wilderness chooses to proceed despite enrollment being below the usual minimum, the workshop will be considered to be proceeding normally and the standard participant cancellation and refund provisions will continue to apply.
If Captured Wilderness cancels the workshop because minimum enrollment has not been reached, each booked participant may choose either:
- a 100% refund of the workshop fee paid; or
- transfer of 100% of the amount paid to another available Captured Wilderness workshop.
The decision whether to proceed with a workshop that has fewer than three participants rests with Captured Wilderness and the instructor.
14. IF CAPTURED WILDERNESS CANCELS THE WORKSHOP
If Captured Wilderness cancels a workshop, you will not lose your workshop fee.
You may choose either:
Full Refund
You may receive a 100% refund of the workshop fee paid.
OR
Transfer
You may transfer 100% of the amount paid to another available Captured Wilderness workshop.
The choice is yours.
If Captured Wilderness proposes a replacement date and you cannot or do not wish to attend it, you are not required to accept that date.
You may instead request a full refund.
The five-day participant cancellation restriction does not apply when Captured Wilderness cancels the workshop.
15. IF A WORKSHOP IS POSTPONED
When circumstances permit, Captured Wilderness may postpone or reschedule a workshop rather than cancel it outright.
If Captured Wilderness postpones a workshop and offers a replacement date, your reservation and full payment may be transferred to that date.
If you cannot or do not wish to attend the replacement date, you may request a 100% refund instead.
You are not required to accept a replacement date chosen by Captured Wilderness.
16. IF A WORKSHOP IS RELOCATED
Occasionally, conditions may make the originally planned workshop location unsuitable while another reasonable location remains available.
If Captured Wilderness relocates a workshop, participants will be notified as soon as reasonably possible.
A minor change of meeting point or movement to another nearby location does not necessarily constitute cancellation of the workshop.
If a substantial relocation materially changes the nature of the workshop or requires significantly different travel from participants, Captured Wilderness will provide appropriate cancellation, refund or transfer options based upon the circumstances.
17. FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE REQUIRED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT
Payment temporarily reserves your workshop place.
Your reservation is not confirmed until Captured Wilderness receives your completed and signed Photography Workshop Participant Agreement.
After booking, you will receive the Participant Agreement electronically.
You must read the entire agreement, make sure you understand it, electronically sign it and return it to Captured Wilderness within the time stated in your booking information.
Do not sign the Participant Agreement if you do not understand or agree with its terms.
If you have questions, contact Captured Wilderness before signing.
If you decline to sign the Participant Agreement or fail to return it within the required time:
- your reservation will be canceled;
- 100% of your workshop payment will be refunded; and
- your reserved place will be reopened and made available to another participant.
There is no financial penalty for declining the Participant Agreement.
You simply cannot participate in a Captured Wilderness photography workshop without completing the required agreement.
Payment reserves your place temporarily. Receipt of your signed Participant Agreement confirms it.
18. REFUND PROCESSING
Approved refunds will be returned using the original payment method whenever reasonably possible.
Once Captured Wilderness has issued a refund, the time required for the funds to appear in your account may depend upon the payment processor, card issuer or financial institution.
Processing time after the refund has been issued is outside the control of Captured Wilderness.
19. THE SHORT VERSION
We have tried to make this policy as clear and straightforward as possible.
Here is the short version:
You need to change your workshop date more than five days beforehand: Contact us. Where an appropriate workshop is available, we would rather transfer 100% of your payment to a later workshop than have you cancel.
You cancel more than five days beforehand: You receive a 75% refund. The remaining 25% is non-refundable.
You cancel within five days of the workshop: No refund.
You do not show up: No refund.
You arrive and decide not to participate: No refund.
You discover on the day that you cannot manage the terrain or physical requirements: No refund.
You voluntarily leave early: No refund.
You are removed for serious misconduct: No refund.
You refuse or fail to complete the required Participant Agreement before your reservation is confirmed: Your reservation is canceled and you receive a 100% refund.
Captured Wilderness cancels the workshop: You choose between a 100% refund or transferring 100% of your payment to another available workshop.
Captured Wilderness postpones the workshop: You may accept the replacement date, transfer where appropriate, or receive a 100% refund if you do not wish to attend the replacement date.
20. QUESTIONS BEFORE BOOKING
If anything about this policy, the physical requirements of a workshop, accessibility, terrain, scheduling or other workshop requirements is unclear, please ask before booking.
We would much rather answer a question beforehand than have you reserve a place for a workshop that turns out not to be suitable for you.
By booking a Captured Wilderness photography workshop, you acknowledge that you have been provided with the opportunity to read and understand this Cancellation, Transfer & Refund Policy before making your reservation.
Captured Wilderness Workshop Cancellation, Transfer & Refund Policy
Version 1.0 | August 2026