Inclement Weather Return Policy
How rain affects your shoot, what we charge to come back for exteriors, and how to cancel.
What is inclement weather?
For our purposes, "inclement weather" means any precipitation in the air — rain, snow, sleet, or heavy mist. Cloudy skies are not considered inclement weather; in fact, overcast light often produces beautifully even interior images.
We can't shoot exteriors during precipitation. Moisture in the air reduces the clarity of the images, making them appear distorted or blurry. It is also unsafe for our photographers' equipment to be outside in heavy mist or rain.
Interior shots, on the other hand, often look even better in this weather — the diffused light reduces window glare and produces brighter, more vivid colors inside the home.
Your options when bad weather is in the forecast
You have flexibility, and you don't have to wait until the day of to decide:
- Cancel ahead of time. Call us before your appointment if rain is in the forecast and you'd rather wait. Standard cancellation rules apply (free more than 4 hours out).
- Cancel at the time of the shoot. If it's actively raining when the photographer arrives, you can cancel without penalty for the weather itself.
- Shoot interiors now, exteriors later. If your listing needs to go live and waiting isn't an option, we can shoot the interiors at full price and return on a clear day for the exteriors for a modest fee.
What is the cost?
The Inclement Weather Return fee is $39. This covers the gas and time for the photographer to come back out and shoot the exterior images on another day. We keep this fee minimal out of courtesy to both our clients and our photographers.
When the Inclement Weather Return fee applies
- Full standard shoots: during inclement weather we typically shoot interiors only at the full price of the shoot, then schedule an Inclement Weather Return ($39) on another day for the exterior.
- Twilight photoshoots: since the golden hour skies are the star of this shoot, we recommend rescheduling unless interior images are needed right away.
- Photographer-initiated safety cancellations: if road or weather conditions are unsafe for our photographers to drive, we may call to cancel the shoots ourselves. There is no charge to anyone in those situations.
How to handle a weather cancellation
Call your regional Front Office number, or send us a message. DFW: 214.272.3200 · Houston: 346.980.4800 · Austin: 512.649.9003 · San Antonio: 210.200.8984.
For broader scheduling rules — including the 4-hour cancellation window, the $49 cancellation fee, and the photographer wait time — see our Booking Policy.
Inclement Weather Return — Common Questions
1What is the Inclement Weather Return fee?
If precipitation prevents exterior shots, please contact us as early as possible — this helps us avoid an unnecessary trip and frees up the time slot for another client. You can postpone the entire shoot to another day at no charge (recommended), or proceed with interior shots only. If you need us to return on a separate day for exteriors, an Inclement Weather Return fee applies to cover the additional trip.
Bad forecast? Call us first.
We can usually find a way to make your timeline work — whether that's shooting interiors today and exteriors later, or rescheduling the whole shoot for clearer skies.