About Picture Methods

COMMENT POLICY

PICTURE METHODS allows comments. However, it’s our house so it’s our rules. All comments are moderated. If you are rude, argumentative, overly pedantic, try to spam us or our audience are snarky or trolling, your comment will not be approved. If your comment is off topic, it will not be approved. If you are selling something, your comment will not be approved.

We reserve the right to edit comments that are off topic or in other ways violate the spirit of a helpful discourse. We also reserve the right to permanently ban commenters who don’t adhere to our rules.

In short, if you wouldn’t say it to someone in person – don’t say it here. And if it’s not helpful, please just keep it to yourself or publish it on your own blog – and in case you’re curious, we won’t approve trackbacks to comments that don’t meet our guidelines.

REVIEW POLICY

We don’t work like most photo publications because demand for coverage on our site far exceeds available space. For that reason we have created guidelines that make the process more manageable for all.

If you want to send a sample for review we will consider it with the following caveats.

1. We only review shipping products – no beta please (we don’t do embargo)
2. We only review products that come in retail packaging the way that our readers would see it in the stores or on websites for sale
3. We do not return review samples
4. We review items in the order in which they are received and reviews are usually approximately 30 days out
5. We do not notify companies when their product arrives due to staffing considerations – if you need to know we received the review item please track your shipping to us and contact the shipper for delivery status
6. We do not respond to check ins or offer information on our thinking about the product prior to review
7. If you have a media kit or sample reviews please send with the product
8. If you want more than one product reviewed you must send them all at the same time

If you can agree to these conditions please send review sample(s) to:

Scott Bourne
P.O. Box 2121
Port Orchard, WA 98366 – USA

We understand that these policies won’t work for every company and apologize if you find yourself in that situation, but we are firm in these policies and cannot make exceptions.

DISCLOSURES

This is a statement describing how we go about running this site. It details the policies we use when reviewing or discussing products, outlines our editorial policies and is our attempt at disclosure of anything that our audience might want to know about our business relationships.

We are not journalists or reporters. We are educators, pundits and subjective opinion columnists, reviewers of photography products and commentators on photography-related issues. We do try to uphold journalistic standards when we report something on the site as “news” but ultimately, here we are teachers and commentators and our bias, opinions, and experience guide what we publish. Our only allegiance is to what works best. We reserve the right to change recommendations as products improve, change, or grow.

When we do present what we consider to be factual information, we do the best we can to make sure the facts we provide are accurate and fairly presented. This site publishes very little “straight news.” We mostly offer education, punditry and analysis. When we present analysis, we try to represent our best independent judgments rather than our preferences, or those of our sources, advertisers or information providers.

We may eventually sell advertising on this site and if we do, we will receive compensation for the ads we serve. When and if we do receive sponsorship, the companies we do business with will be listed here. These same companies may sponsor our contests and giveaways.

We do not sell editorial space – ever. The advertising or affiliate links on the site is not connected with the editorial content in any way. We do not accept money to run reviews. We do not own stock in any company we cover here unless otherwise noted.

We do, from time-to-time run affiliate links inside this website. If you click on those links and order a product, we receive minimal compensation. This compensation in no way impacts the price you pay at any vendor other than to reduce – rather than increase it. We only list affiliate links that we believe lead to fair prices and products.

Regarding the affiliate links – As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This is noted here for the purposes of satisfying my obligations under my contract with Amazon and to align with FTC policy on affiliate disclosure.

We are providing this information so that the audience can have all the facts available to them when judging the work we do surrounding PICTURE METHODS. We will update this page from time-to-time as changes in our circumstances and policies warrant. Visit it often if these things concern you.

LEGAL INFORMATION

Terms of Use
Please read these Terms of Use carefully. By accessing this web site you agree to be bound by the Terms listed herein. Scott Bourne and PICTURE METHODS reserve the right to revise and update these Terms of Use at any time by posting the amended terms to this web site. If you do not agree to them, do not access or use this web site.

Disclaimer
While PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne will make every effort to ensure that the information on this web site is accurate, up to date and virus-free, PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne do not warrant or make any representations as to the accuracy, usefulness or completeness of any information, graphics or links on this web site, or that this web site will be free of viruses or other contamination. PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne disclaim all responsibility and all liability (including through negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you might incur as a result of the information on this web site, or any linked web site, being inaccurate, unhelpful or incomplete or contaminated so that it interferes with or damages your computer system, software or data. Use this web site at your own risk.

Third Party Links
Hypertext links to web sites that are external to PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne are provided as a convenience to you and other users. PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne are not responsible for any information provided by any external sites and linkage to a site is not an endorsement of anything offered or provided on such site, including its accuracy, currency or reliability.

Privacy
PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne will not sell or rent any private information about you such as your identity, e-mail address or postal address without your permission. PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne do not actively collect information about any of its audience members, especially those who are less than 18 years of age. Picture Methods and Scott Bourne are not responsible for theft of private information it may or may not collect in the course of operating this web site by employees, vendors or third parties accessing such information with or without PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne’s permission.

Intellectual Property
All photographs and material appearing herein are the Copyright of their respective owners or PICTURE METHODS and Scott Bourne.

Nothing contained on this Web Site should be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right to use any Trademark displayed on this Web Site without the written permission of Scott Bourne, PICTURE METHODS, Scott Bourne or such third party that may own the trademark displayed on this Web Site. Your misuse of the Trademarks displayed on this Web Site, or any other content on this Web Site, except as provided herein, is strictly prohibited.

ABOUT OUR PODCAST

Each and every episode of the Picture Methods podcast is produced with music that has been fully licensed and paid for.