core values
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Clients
I am deeply committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for every client. All stories are celebrated. Let's tell your story together.
Partners & Affiliates
Through my association with various community groups, I frequently partner, collaborate, or work with businesses, fellow photographers, and industry mentors. It is integral to note that these affiliations are rooted in my core DEI principles. I refrain from aligning with individuals whose actions are incongruent with these values, actively withstanding such actions.
Second-Shooters
A high caliber of ethics is upheld in the hiring process of my second-shooting team, ensuring fair compensation. My guidelines include establishing an open salary policy and matching industry standards of pay. Practices adhere to legal regulations.
Glossary
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is when the photographer or photography business works with other entrepreneurs or influencers who agree to share products/services (of the photographer or photography business) with their audience. An affiliate link is commonly issued, specialized to each person.
Assumption of Risk Clause
Essential for all adventure-based service contracts, laying out the dangerous elements that could happen during any adventure session/project. Clients are responsible for all fees associated with any injury they sustain during these activities. It requires that the clients sign off that they know, understand, and assume those risks when hiring the photographer for their services. The clause distinguishes that the photographer is not a professional outdoor guide.
Brand & Commercial Photography Contract
Designed for photographers who are hired by companies to shoot branding photos, product photos, and more. This contract is directly between the photographer and the client (the company). It is ideal for one-time projects with companies.
Cancellation by Client Clause
The clause establishes clear guidelines that govern the circumstances under which a client can cancel their contract. It provides transparency, protects the photography business, and maintains a level of fairness in client relationships. Clients have the right to cancel their contract, and the photographer has the right to keep fees and retainers as liquidated damages for lost business.
Cancellation of Services by Company Clause
There may be circumstances where the photographer, as a service provider, needs to cancel a contract with a client. This could be due to a family emergency, illness, or recognition that the client/project is not the right fit.
FTC Rules
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with the prevention of fraudulent or deceptive advertising. According to the FTC's guidelines under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FAST Act), all commissions made from affiliate links and transactions need to be clearly stated to the consumers.
Independent Contractor Agreement
A legally binding contract linked between a 1099 worker and the photography business bringing them on board. The document clearly defines the scope of work and the terms governing the entire project or work to be performed. The independent contractor agreement draws an indisputable line between freelancers and full-time team members, keeping things sharp and distinct.
Invoice
A document issued by a professional photographer or a photography business to their clients. It serves as a clear and comprehensive record of the agreement between the photographer and their client, outlining the scope of services, applicable fees, and terms of payment.
Licensing Agreement
Allows third parties to use images for specific purposes while the photographer retains ownership and control. Licensing agreements can be structured as non-exclusive or exclusive.
Mileage
Payment per mile traveled to and from a project when a photographer and/or second-shooter travels. Current standard rate in the United States is 67 cents per mile (2024). Rates vary by year.
Per Diem
A standard rate per day for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) establishes these rates.
Photo Assistant
A photographer hires a photo assistant for a project in an effort to make their job more seamless. Duties may include prepping gear, keeping track of the schedule, and setting up lights.
Second-Shooter
A photographer hires a second-shooter to support photographing a project. Second-shooters either get secondary angles of what the main photographer is shooting or they are primarily shooting at one location while the main photographer is in another location.
Third-Party Payor Addendum
A third-party payor addendum is a document signed by the clients and the third-party (anyone paying the photography or the photography business that is not a client) which puts legal conditions on the third-party's payment and involvement with the clients' original agreement.
A third-party payor addendum does not change the original client contract but instead acts as any other addendum would by adding another page to the contract to include information about this new third-party payor. It is a separate document from the client's original contract and should be treated as such.
affiliations
Kaya Press
Kaya Press is an independent publisher of Asian Pacific Diasporas and is under the academic auspices of the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Founded in 1994 by the postmodern Korean writer Soo Kyung Kim, Kaya Press is currently housed in the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity.
The name “Kaya” is derived from the confederation of Korean city-states that existed centuries before that was known as a hub for learning, music, and the arts. The works published by Kaya Press know no bounds in terms of genre or subject matter. Kaya strives to go against the status quo and provide a platform for stories and storytellers that have been pushed to the shadows by society.
affiliations
Supermajority Education Fund
Supermajority centers the lived experiences and liberation of all women, ensuring all people who have been marginalized due to their gender—including trans women, cisgender women, gender nonbinary people, and trans men—are truly equal. Supermajority Ed Fund was launched to mission through research, education, and development programs that support women in growing their leadership skills. The community weaves a strong social fabric that encourages women to get involved, spark progress, and take their rightful seat at the table.
Ed Fund equips women with the tools to connect with their community and continue building a world that ensures equality in our communities, workplaces, and government. The "Majority Rules", its values-based agenda, knows that no one woman is the same, but our shared values ensure our collective power. It lays out a vision for the world women deserve—a world that is possible if we work together. The people most impacted and underrepresented, particularly those from historically excluded communities, must be at the forefront of the solutions.
affiliations
SCOPE All Brains
Students for Community Outreach, Promotion, and Education (SCOPE) works to empower the greater Los Angeles community and the UCLA community through meaningful service that minimizes disparities in education and healthcare. SCOPE All Brains is the first neurodiversity center at UCLA and works in collaboration with experienced programs including the Center for Accessible Education (CAE), the Bruin Resource Center (BRC), and ResLife. It is an inclusive space for autism, ADHD, and other learning differences.