Reservations: Space is limited on all our departures. On some trips we are able to accept reservations just prior to departure, but most require advance planning. Always call our office to see if space is available. We recommend that you reserve your space as soon as you know which departure you want. We're happy to hold a reservation on the trip for you for 10 days while we await your deposit in the mail, or you may receive immediate confirmation of your trip reservation by charging your deposit by phone to your Visa or Mastercard.

To reserve space on any James Katz Photography Workshop: Please use the Reservation Form from "Booking Information" (photocopy for each additional participant in your group) with a deposit in the following amounts: All Photography Workshops require full payment upon enrollmenht.

Payments for all photoworkshops may be made by check or Visa/Mastercard.

Prices are quoted in U.S. dollars and all payments must be made in U.S. dollars. James Katz Photo Workshops reserves the right to decline to accept any individual as a trip member for any reason whatsoever. If payment installments are not paid when due, James Katz Photography Workshops reserves the right to treat the reservation as canceled. Additionally, no one will be allowed to depart on a trip unless all payments and necessary documents have been received by our office.

Credit Cards: We accept Visa and Mastercard Credit Cards for payment of all payments for Photography Workshops.

Make Reservations Early: Many photography workshops sell out early, so it is advisable to sign-up at least 2-3 months prior to departure. We encourage early sign-ups as they help to guarantee a trip's departure. Reservations for all 1-2 day domestic trips are accepted up to 5 days prior to departure; on all longer programs, reservations are accepted up to 7 days prior to departure.

The following material is sent out to all participants:
Prior to Sign-Up:
Course Outline : Detailed information, concerning daily itineraries, arrangements, reservations, waitlisting, cancellation and refunds, trip qualifications, cancelled trips, trip grading, covered expenses, age limits, insurance, baggage, medical information, equipment lists, and liability are discussed in detail for each trip that we operate.

Immediately After Sign-Up: You will be sent immediate confirmation, a Registration Form and detailed course itinerary (if you have not already received them), a Release and Assumption of Risk Form, a medical certificate, medical information (if applicable), equipment list, a suggested bibliography and other pre-departure information needed to prepare for your trip.

About 3 Weeks Before Departure: Final pertinent details about the trip, including rendezvous instructions, insurance policy (if you have taken one out), and maps if available, and other supplementary information. Please feel free to phone or write if you have any questions.

Validity of Course Costs: Land Costs and airfares listed on this website and in our catalog are subject to increase without prior notice, even after you have signed up on the trip. We do everything we can to avoid raising prices, yet fee increases are sometimes regrettably unavoidable.

Course Fees include: The following is a generalization of what is usually included in the Land Cost. The individual trip profiles and supplements will qualify any of the exceptions.

Photography course fares include: Instruction for a specified number of hours per day, cost of all instruction (i.e., photographer). If the program is a river trip, all meals; from lunch on the first day through lunch on the last day, rafts (unsinkable-6 separate air chambers), Avon Professionals (15'-16' paddleboats/6-8 people), Avon Spirits (18' oar boats carrying supplies/3-5 people), self-bailing inflatable kayaks, Soar inflatable canoes, group commissary, Coast Guard approved lifejackets, waterproof bags for clothing and ammunition cans for cameras. All-inclusive local transportation from trip arrival points to trip departure points. Sleeping units (sleeping bags, rugged inflatable mattresses, and ground tarps and tents are available for rental or included on most multi-day trips. (See Trip Profiles-"What's Included.")

Photography Workshop and river trip fares do not include: Hotel accommodations (unless otherwise noted in trip profile), travel expenses to group meeting point or from group departure point, insurance of any kind, excess baggage charges, airport taxes, alcoholic beverages, gratuities to instructor and facilitators, laundry, or other personal items, medical costs (except for ordinary services provided, evacuation from remote areas by any conveyance, or costs of hospitalization are not covered.

Delays: Any additional expenses stemming from the delay, extension or change in itinerary of a trip due to weather, political disputes, illness, failure of transportation or other causes beyond our reasonable control are not included in trip cost.

James Katz Photography Workshops are not responsible for additional hotel nights not specified in the individual trip itineraries which may be required while en route, prior to or following a trip, caused by changes in airline scheduling, by participants' travel itineraries, or by other circumstances.

James Katz Photography Workshops is not responsible for expenses incurred in recovering lost luggage, belongings left behind on a trip, or in shipping purchases or other goods home from abroad.

Transfer and Cancellation Policy
Transfers- Photography Workshops: If you must transfer from one trip to another after we have processed your original reservation, an additional fee will be charged. The transfer fee is $30/person. No tranfers can be made after the final payment due date. Trip Cancellation Insurance is advisable.

Transfers- All Other Trips: If you transfer from one trip to another between 180 and 30 days before departure (of the trip you are transferring from) the Transfer Fee is $100. If you transfer within 30 days of departure, you are subject to our regular Cancellation Fees as outlined below (appropriate to the date you notify us that you want to transfer). We recommend that you purchase Trip Cancellation Insurance to protect yourself.

Cancellations James Katz Photo Workshops: If you must cancel your reservation, your deposit will be returned minus a cancellation fee as follows (computed as of the date of our actual receipt of written cancellation notice): Deposits less a $75 service charge (all 1-5 day domestic photo workshops). If you cancel and provide a replacement or if we are able to fill the trip without you, your payment on these photo workshops trips that we operate directly ourselves (less $75 service charge) will be refunded in full.

On all photography departures whose land costs exceed $1,000, your deposit will be returned minus a cancellation fee as follows: from time of reservation until 90 days prior to departure, $250; 60-90 days prior to departure, 50% of land cost; 46-59 days prior to departure, 75% of land cost; less than 45 days prior to departure, 100% of land cost.

If payment installments are not paid when due, James Katz Photography Workshops reserves the right to treat the reservation as cancelled.

Refunds: Rates are based on group participation and it is understood and agreed that there will be no partial refunds for unused hotel rooms, trekking arrangements, sightseeing, etc., for any reason whatsoever.

Trip Insurance: We highly encourage all participants to purchase trip cancellation and travel insurance available at the time of enrollment.

Special Note: Signing up for this insurance within 14 days of your reservations allows the pre-existing medical condition exclusion found in the policy to be waived (please read the accompanying insurance brochure, “Description of Coverages”), that is mailed out with our Registration Forms. If you decline this insurance, the amount designated for the insurance will be applied to the trip land cost.

Before the trip, the trip cancellation benefit provides for the reimbursement of all insured land costs should you have to cancel a trip due to personal or family illness or for any of the other covered events. During the trip, this insurance also covers trip interruption, loss or damage to baggage, and emergency medical and dental expenses including emergency evacuation expenses. For the exact details of coverage, please read the accompanying “Description of Coverages.”

We ask that you pay special attention to the cancellation conditions and note that James Katz Photo Workshops cannot assume any liability for such losses, and without adequate insurance, you will be fully assuming these risks.

If you wish to decline this insurance, please check the appropriate box
under “Trip Cancellation and Travel Insurance” on the “Reservation Form,” and we will apply this money towards the trip land cost.

Air Travel: Although we do not write air tickets in our office, our staff is experienced in advising what flights will mesh best with your particular departure.

The fares that we quote in our pre-departure literature are subject to change without notice. Some of the fares are seasonal (they are higher at some times of the year and less at other times) and some vary slightly for weekend vs. weekday travel. We recommend early ticket purchase in order to protect oneself from fare increases, but always call our office before ticketing to make sure that minimum trip enrollments have been met.

Medical and Health: While a photo workshop is a relatively non-strenuous event with gentle walks of 1-3 miles (sometimes more in Utah) they can be physically demanding and go into areas where medical facilities are nonexistent. On all our trips, but especially ones that go into remote areas, James Katz Photography Workshops will carry a well-equipped first-aid kit. Medical attention will be administered free of charge to trip members by the trip leader in the field.

Hospital facilities for serious problems are often unavailable and evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. James Katz Photography Workshops assumes no liability regarding provision of medical care. Trip participants will receive our "Health Matters" bulletin (for countries where it is applicable) and a medical certificate which must be filled out by both the trip member and his/her doctor (for all photography trips that go into very remote areas, are physically demanding, and if you are 65 or older) and returned to us. Once you have been confirmed on a trip, there will be no refunds if your doctor does not approve your medical certificate for Strenuous trips. Also if an irregularity appears on your medical questionnaire, we may ask you to consult with your physician and have them sign you off before you are allowed on the trip.

Trip members should have a personal supply of any special medications which they may need; a suggested personal first aid list will be sent to all participants. It is understood that James Katz Photography Workshops is not a medical facility and therefore has no expertise nor responsibility regarding what medications or inoculations you and your private physician should decide necessary for your safe participation in the tour.

Good health is a prerequisite for all our trips and it is vital that trip members with medical problems make them known to us by completely filling out the medical certificate well before departure. The trip leader has the right to disqualify anyone at anytime during the trip if he feels the trip member is physically incapable and/or if a trip member's continued participation will jeopardize the safety of the group. Refunds are not given under such circumstances.

Responsibility of Trip Members: Please read this carefully. Payment of deposit represents an acceptance by purchaser of the following terms and conditions. Trip members have certain responsibilities to James Katz Photography Workshops and to other trip members. Trip members are responsible for: understanding the conditions implied in the James Katz Photography Workshops and to other trip members. Trip members are responsible for: understanding the conditions implied in the James Katz Photography Workshops trip grading system which is appropriate to their interests and abilities; preparing for the trip by studying the itinerary and supplemental information sent by James Katz Photography Workshops; bringing appropriate clothing and equipment as advised by James Katz Photography Workshops; following normal standards of personal hygiene in order to lessen risk of traveler's diseases, as advised by the trip leader and trip doctor (if a trip doctor accompanies the trip); acting in an appropriate and respectful manner in accordance with the customs of countries visited; completing the trip itinerary as scheduled (or as adjusted in the field if necessary).

Limitations of Liability: James Katz Photography Workshops (its Owners, Outfitters, Agents, and Employees) give notice that they act only in the capacity of agents for the participants in all matters relating to transportation and/or all other related travel services and assume no responsibility for injury, delay, irregularity, loss, or damage to person or property in connection with any service resulting directly or indirectly from any of the following causes: acts of God, detention, annoyance, weather, failure or any means of transportation to comply with schedules, quarantines, strikes, civil disturbance, theft, governmental regulations, discrepancies or change in transit or hotel services over which it has no control.

James Katz Photography Workshops reserves the right to take photographic or film records of any of their trips, and may use any such records for promotional and/or commerical purposes.

Cancelled Trips: We abide by our schedules, but James Katz Photography Workshops reserves the right to cancel any trip, substitute a trip, or change an itinerary due to situations beyond our control: severe weather, unfavorable water conditions, inadequate signup, or international relations which makes the trip unfeasible for us to operate. In such a case, a full refund of land cost is given, but James Katz Photography Workshops is not responsible for additional expenses incurred by members in preparing for the trip (i.e., non-refundable "Advance Purchase" air tickets, visa fees if applicable, equipment, medical expenses, or for any necessary additional arrangements should trip member have embarked prior to the group departure date). James Katz Photography Workshops must normally must make substantial payments to its suppliers (including providers of land travel) far in advance of the scheduled embarkation date. If a trip is canceled due to force majeure (acts of God, war, labor strikes, earthquake, flooding, etc.), James Katz Photography Workshopswill promptly refund the portion of the trip cost not advanced to suppliers. JHRJ/WJ will use its best efforts to recover advance payments as promptly as possible, and will refund the amount recovered, if any. However, James Katz Photography Workshops does not guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made, and our use of best efforts to recover these payments will not include the institution of any legal proceedings in foreign jurisdictions.

Refunds due to extenuating circumstances: James Katz Photography Workshops also reserves the the right to alter the trip itinerary at any time, to right to decline to accept- or to retain from further participation- any person it judges to be incapable of meeting the rigors and requirements of participating in the activities, or any person whose actions or deportment impede trip operation or rights, welfare or enjoyment of other trip members. A refund based on cost of unused land services is the limit of James Katz Photography Workshops responsibility.

James Katz Photography Workshops also reserves the right to alter the trip itinerary at any time, to change the trip leader, to substitute other lodging, or to alter the travel arrangements, if James Katz Photography Workshops deems it to be in the best interests of the trip participants or if the need arises due to circumstances beyond our control such as bad weather, sickness, or transportation delays. James Katz Photography Workshops is not responsible for any additional expenses, such as extra hotel nights, meals, etc., caused by circumstances beyond our control, such as bad weather, sickness, strikes, or transportation delays, or for any unusual charges incurred on behalf of the safety of the participants.

On advancement of deposit to James Katz Photography Workshops, the depositor therefore agrees to be bound by the above recited terms and conditions.

Airline Clause: The airlines concerned with the travel on these trips and their agents are not to be held responsible for any act, omission, or event during the time the passengers are not on board the aircraft. The passenger ticket in use by the airlines when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and the passenger and/or purchaser of these tickets. Participating carriers: any IATA or ATC carrier.

Money paid to James Katz Photography Workshops for air tickets is money paid in trust for the airlines and James Henry River Journeys/Wilderness Journeys/can assume no responsiblility for fluctutations in price or schedule, and in the event of a default, clients must look to the defaulting airlines or personal Cancellation Insurance for refunds.

I have read and do agree to all the conditions as stated under "Booking information," specially noting the policy on cancellations and refunds. I understand that I will be required to sign a detailed Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk before being accepted as a participant on this trip.

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