Policies | Northern Media Group | Real Estate & Media Ontario

BOOKING DETAILS

Daily Service Area: Hamilton, Halton, Haldimand, Brant, Norfolk & Niagara. Please CONTACT us for our limited service for all other areas.

Confirmation Email: An email confirmation will be sent out automatically after the booking is made, contact us immediately if you don't receive it (please check your SPAM folder).

1. Scheduling & Logistics

Appointment Window: All shoots are booked in 1.5-hour windows. While we strive for punctuality, please allow for delays due to traffic or weather.
Scheduling Adjustments: Due to fuel costs and logistical constraints, we reserve the right to adjust appointment times or dates as needed.
Access & Attendance: For tenanted properties, a property owner or agent must be present for entry.
- To ensure the highest quality results, the property must be vacated by all persons and pets (pets may be crated) for the duration of the media production.
Waiting Fee: To ensure we stay on schedule for all of our clients, homes must be photo-ready for the scheduled time. A grace period of 5 minutes is included, after which a waiting fee of $30 per 15 minutes (rounded up) will apply.

2. Health, Safety & Property Condition

"As-Is" Shooting: Properties are photographed exactly as they appear upon arrival. Our team does not move furniture or personal items.
Hands-Off Policy: Our staff will only touch light switches. Please ensure all doors to rooms being photographed or measured are propped open prior to our arrival.
Safety & Footwear: For safety and cleanliness, our photographers wear dedicated, non-marking indoor footwear.
Right of Refusal: We reserve the right to decline a shoot if the property is unsafe, unprepared, or occupied at the time of the appointment.

3. Cancellations & Rescheduling

Notice Period: We require at least 24 hours’ notice for cancellations or rescheduling.
Fees: Cancellations made within 24 hours of the appointment incur a $100 fee (waived for inclement weather).
Refunds: Prepaid bookings can be applied as a credit to a future shoot. If a refund is requested, a 5% processing fee will be deducted.

4. Weather & Drone Operations

Weather Delays: There is no fee to reschedule due to poor weather. However, a $100 fee applies if we must return for a second visit to shoot exteriors.
Drone Restrictions: Flights are subject to pilot discretion and Transport Canada regulations. Operations are prohibited in rain, snow, fog, or extreme temperatures (below -10°C or above 40°C), or winds exceeding 35 km/h.

5. Floorplan Disclaimer

Methodology: Floorplans use Lidar technology to calculate Gross Internal Area (GIA).
Accuracy: While reliable for visualization, measurements are not guaranteed. Accuracy can be affected by clutter, wall coverings, furniture, or lighting.
Liability: Northern Media Group (Images by John Hanson Inc.) is not liable for discrepancies between our floorplans and builder plans or previous listings.

6. Delivery & Hosting

Turnaround Time: Photos are delivered the next morning (excluding weekends/holidays). All other media types are delivered within 2 business days.
Storage: Please download all media within 30 days. We do not provide long-term "cold storage" for past projects.
Hosting: 3D Tours and Websites are hosted free for 12 months. After one year, they are archived; a $50 fee is required for reactivation.

7. Pricing & Additional Fees

Square Footage: Tier system is based on the total square footage of the house, including the basement. Image counts are determined by the size of the home and the specific Tier package booked (e.g., Tier 1 includes up to 35 delivered images, Tier 2 includes up to 50, Tier 3 includes up to 65, Tier 4 includes up to 80), rather than a fixed quota.
Travel: Projects beyond a 50 km radius of Grimsby, Ontario, incur a fee of $0.75/km (Niagara region excluded).
Return Visits: Split shoots or re-visits not caused by photographer error are subject to a $100 fee plus travel.
General: All prices are subject to applicable taxes and may change without notice.

Disclosure: By booking Images by John Hanson Inc. operating as Northern Media Group, you have read and Agree to the Booking Conditions, Photography Licensing Agreement & Terms of Use and ImageTips and release Images by John Hanson Inc. and affiliates of ALL liabilities. Booking Conditions may be altered at anytime without further notice.

PHOTOGRAPHY LICENSING AGREEMENT

Effective Date: As of the date of booking (the "Effective Date").

Between: Images by John Hanson Inc. o/a Northern Media Group (hereinafter the "Photographer")

And: The individual, entity, or brokerage completing the booking, including all parent companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries (hereinafter the "Client").

1. Scope of Agreement and Integration

This Photography Licensing Agreement (the “Agreement”) governs all media, including but not limited to digital photographs, videos, drone footage, websites, 3D virtual tours and floor plans (collectively, the “Photos”), created by the Photographer for the specified property, project, or assignment (the "Project"). This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties. No trade custom, oral exchange, email, or text message shall modify, alter, or amend these terms unless executed in a formal writing signed by both parties. This Agreement is non-transferable, non-assignable, and personal to the Client. Automatic Termination: If the Client’s business is sold, merged, dissolved, or experiences a change of control, this Agreement and all licenses granted hereunder immediately terminate and become null and void.

2. Intellectual Property, Ownership, and Grant of Rights

Copyright Ownership: In accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, the parties expressly agree that the Photographer is, and shall remain, the sole and exclusive author and copyright owner of all Photos. The Photos are not a "work made in the course of employment," nor are they a "work for hire." No title, ownership, or copyright interest is transferred to the Client.
Grant of Limited License: Conditioned upon receipt of full payment, the Photographer grants the Client a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable license to publicly display and distribute the Photos solely for marketing and promotional purposes directly related to the Project.
Usage Term: This license is strictly limited to one (1) year from the shoot date, or the date on which the Client’s representation of the property/Project terminates (e.g., listing expiry, cancellation, or sale), whichever occurs first. Any use beyond this term requires prior written renewal and payment of additional licensing fees.
Strict Prohibitions: The Client shall not re-edit, crop, alter, apply filters to, or modify the Photos in any manner. The Client is strictly prohibited from selling, licensing, redistributing, or gifting the Photos to any third party (including but not limited to other real estate agents, buyers, sellers, developers, builders, homeowners, staging companies, or retail outlets). Unauthorized use will be aggressively prosecuted as copyright infringement.
Photographer’s Reserved Rights: The Photographer reserves the unrestricted right to use, license, sell, distribute, or display the Photos at any time, worldwide, for portfolio, self-promotion, marketing, stock photography, or any other commercial purpose without notice, consent, or compensation to the Client.

3. MLS Usage and Rights Management Information

MLS System Rights: The Client is permitted to upload the Photos to Multiple Listing Services (MLS) solely for the active promotion of the property listing during the Usage Term. The Client warrants that MLS rules do not compel a transfer of copyright to the MLS board. The Client shall not grant the MLS board any rights that conflict with the Photographer's exclusive copyright ownership.
Rights Management (Metadata & Watermarks): The Photos may contain embedded technical metadata, watermarks, or Copyright Management Information (CMI). The Client is strictly prohibited from altering, stripping, or removing this information.
Statutory Damages: In addition to standard copyright infringement remedies, removal or alteration of CMI triggers independent liability under the Copyright Act of Canada, and the Client shall be liable for all statutory damages, legal fees, and forensic costs incurred to trace the stripped media.

4. Creative Control and Quality Standards

Artistic Discretion: The Photographer retains absolute and exclusive control over the manner, aesthetic styling, composition, equipment, lighting, and technical methods utilized during the shoot and post-production.
Technical Benchmarks: The Photographer utilizes Pantone Validated and/or CalMAN certified displays to ensure baseline technical industry standards for RGB color accuracy. However, because end-user viewing devices vary wildly in calibration, the Photographer offers no warranty regarding how the Photos display on uncalified consumer monitors or mobile devices.
Inspection and Acceptance: The Client must inspect the Photos and notify the Photographer in writing of any claimed defects, errors, or unsuitability within one (1) business day of digital delivery. If no notice is received, the Photos are deemed irrevocably accepted.
Limitation of Liability for Discretion: The Photographer’s sole and exclusive obligation for timely rejected, unsuitable files is reproduction or replacement. Under no circumstances shall the Photographer be liable for consequential, incidental, indirect, or special damages, or any alleged losses resulting from marketing delays or printing errors.
Archiving: The Photographer is under no legal or contractual obligation to retain, store, or archive the Photos beyond thirty (30) days post-delivery.

5. Fees, Payment Terms, and Default Consequences

Payment Terms: All fees are due and payable at the time of booking or immediately upon issuance of an invoice, at the Photographer’s sole discretion. Fees represent compensation for time, labor, and the limited license granted—not a sale of physical goods or intellectual property.
Late Interest: Any invoice unpaid after thirty (30) days from the invoice date shall accrue interest at a rate of 3% per month (42.58% per annum compounded dynamically), or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is less.
Automatic Revocation of License: If payment is not received within thirty (30) days of the invoice date, the limited license granted herein is automatically revoked without notice. Any continued use of the Photos post-revocation constitutes willful copyright infringement.
Remedies for Breach and Infringement:
- Upon revocation, the Client must immediately remove the Photos from all digital platforms, print media, and MLS systems, and provide written certification of destruction within 48 hours.
- Accounts unpaid after sixty (60) days will be reported to the Broker of Record, the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), and/or the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) for ethical and financial non-compliance.
- Accounts unpaid after ninety (90) days will be escalated to formal copyright infringement status. The Client agrees that the baseline liquidated damages for post-default infringement shall be billed at a flat contractually-agreed rate of $1,000.00 CAD per image, plus all actual legal expenses, collection agency fees, and court costs on a substantial indemnity basis.

6. Absolute Indemnification and Limitation of Liability

Client Indemnity: The Client agrees to indemnify, defend (with counsel approved by the Photographer), and hold harmless the Photographer, its officers, directors, employees, and subcontractors against any and all claims, demands, actions, liabilities, losses, damages, fines, administrative penalties, costs, and legal fees (including full solicitor-and-client costs) arising out of or relating to:
1. The Client’s use, publication, or distribution of the Photos;
2. The Client’s failure to obtain necessary model, property, trademark, or tenant releases;
3. Any physical injury or property damage occurring during the shoot caused by the Client, property occupants, or property hazards; or
4. Any breach of this Agreement by the Client.
5. Any delays in media being delivered to the Client.
MLS and Board Penalties Disclaimer: The Photographer bears zero legal, financial, or administrative liability for any fines, compliance fees, takedown penalties, or third-party claims imposed by any real estate board, brokerage, the MLS® System, or regulatory body resulting from the upload, syndication, digital formatting, or automated cropping of the provided media. The Client assumes 100% risk regarding MLS data compliance.
Cap on Liability: In no event shall the total aggregate liability of the Photographer for any claim arising out of this Agreement exceed the actual dollar amount paid by the Client to the Photographer for the specific Project giving rise to liability.

7. Lost Sales and Cancelled Transactions Disclaimer

The Photographer shall not be held liable, financially or legally, for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from project delays or late delivery of media. This includes, but is not limited to, instances where a prospective buyer backs out of a transaction, a listing expires, a closing is delayed, or a real estate deal fails to close. The Client agrees that the timely delivery of media is subject to variables beyond the Photographer's absolute control, and the failure to meet a specific listing or closing deadline does not constitute a breach that entitles the Client to lost profits, lost commissions, or damages related to a failed property sale.

8. Insurance and Professional Status

The Photographer is an independent contractor and maintains professional operational compliance, including:

Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance via specialized industry underwriters (Front Row Insurance / CHUBB).
Transport Canada RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) Certification for advanced or basic operations up to 25kg.
Dedicated Aviation/Drone Liability Insurance (Skywatch Insurance).

The maintenance of these policies does not diminish, waive, or alter the Client’s indemnification obligations under Section 6.

9. Governing Law, Jurisdiction, and Severability

Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.
Forum Selection: The parties irrevocably agree that any legal action, lawsuit, or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in the courts located in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Legal Fees: In any litigation, arbitration, or collection proceeding arising from this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable legal fees, court costs, and disbursements on a full-indemnity basis.
Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, and the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

At Images by John Hanson Inc., we are dedicated to protecting your privacy and providing a secure online experience. If you have questions regarding this policy or its implementation, please contact us.

1. Security of Your Personal Information

We employ industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

Encryption: We use Transport Layer Security (TLS) with 128-bit encryption or higher for all sensitive transmissions—the same standard used by major financial institutions and global retailers.
Internal Access: Data is strictly limited to authorized personnel.
Enforcement: We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for privacy breaches. Any employee violation results in immediate termination and, where applicable, criminal prosecution.

2. Collection & Retention

We only collect information necessary for you to access our services, including:

Full name, email address, and phone number.
Payment processing details and booking data.

We retain this information until you formally request its deletion, revoke your consent, or our internal retention policies require its removal.

3. How We Use Your Information

Your data is primarily used to deliver requested products and services, complete transactions, and facilitate communication.

Payment Data: Credit card numbers are used exclusively for processing payments and are never repurposed.
Anonymized Data: We may use aggregate, non-identifying data (e.g., total site visitors or popular pages) for internal analytics or third-party reporting.

4. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information or mailing list to anyone.

Service Fulfillment: We share data with third parties only as necessary to provide your requested services. These partners are contractually obligated to maintain confidentiality and are prohibited from using your data for any other purpose.
Legal Requirements: We will only release information to authorities if required by a search warrant, court order, subpoena, or fraud investigation.
Google Maps: This site utilizes the Google Maps API; by using this site, you are also bound by the Google Privacy Policy.

5. Document Preparation & Account Safety

All information provided during the booking process is strictly confidential.

Communication: Please provide a valid email address to ensure you receive essential updates.
Security: We do not provide passwords over the phone. To reset or change a password, you must use the verified email address associated with your account.

6. Advertising & Cookies

We partner with ad networks like Google and Bing to manage our advertising on other platforms. These partners use cookies and web beacons to collect non-personally identifiable information to show you relevant ads.

To opt-out of targeted advertising, visit:

Note: Opting out of targeted ads does not stop all advertising; you will continue to see generic advertisements.