Terms
of SErvice

 

Sylte Studios Terms of Service
Version 0.3 | October 2024

Also read these pages:
Photography Terms & Conditions
Photography Copyright Law

 

OVERVIEW

These terms govern all creative services provided by Sylte Studios—including brand development, design, digital experiences, and photography. When you engage us, you commission our expertise and creative vision. You pay for our time, our craft, and the right to use what we create within clearly defined parameters.

All intellectual property remains with us. You receive a licence to use the work—nothing more, nothing less.

1. SCOPE OF SERVICES

We provide the services outlined in your project proposal or order confirmation. Changes require written agreement and will affect timelines and costs.

2. OWNERSHIP AND USAGE RIGHTS

2.1 Ownership and Copyright: All work created by Sylte Studios and our collaborators—photographs, designs, illustrations, concepts, digital experiences, source files—remains our property. This is standard practice across the creative industries. The intellectual property rights in everything we create belong exclusively to us. This is not "work for hire." You cannot claim authorship or ownership of any deliverable.

2.2 Usage Licence: Upon full payment, you receive a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the deliverables within the scope defined in your agreement. Nothing more.

2.3 Licence Duration: Photography licences typically run for one year from delivery. Design and digital work licences typically extend for the lifetime of your company, unless otherwise specified. See our photography specific terms and conditions here.

2.4 Usage Restrictions: No usage permitted until full payment. The specific rights—media channels, territories, file formats—are detailed in your order. If payment is not received within 14 days of invoice, all rights revert to us immediately.

2.5 Prohibited Uses: Unless explicitly agreed in writing, you may not:

  • Resell, sublicence, or transfer deliverables or usage rights to third parties

  • Use deliverables for merchandise, NFTs, or blockchain applications

  • Include deliverables in AI training datasets

  • Remove, alter, or obscure metadata, watermarks, or copyright information

  • Grant sublicences or allow third parties to use deliverables

2.6 Geographic and Media Specifications: Usage rights are limited to the territories and media channels explicitly defined in your licence. Digital, print, broadcast, outdoor, social—nothing is assumed. It must be specified.

2.7 Portfolio and Promotion: We reserve the right to use all work in our portfolio, for promotion, competitions, awards, exhibitions, and education. This is how we build our practice.

2.8 Licence Extension and Renewals: Continued use beyond the licence term, use in different contexts, or across additional territories requires renewal. Additional fees apply.

2.9 Intellectual Property Clarification: All concepts, ideas, preliminary designs, and work-in-progress remain our property—even if unused or rejected. You gain no rights to work not selected for the final delivery.

2.10 Source Files and Working Materials: Source files, working files, layered designs, and RAW photography files remain our property unless specifically purchased as part of the agreement.

2.11 Audit Rights: We reserve the right to audit your usage to ensure compliance with licence terms.

2.12 Copyright Registration: We may register copyrights for deliverables with the Norwegian Copyright Office or international bodies. Registration does not transfer rights to you.

3. PAYMENT TERMS

3.1 Initial Payment: 50% deposit required at booking or four weeks before project start. Remaining 50% plus additional costs due upon delivery. Usage rights transfer only after full payment. For projects under NOK 50,000, full payment required at booking or project start. Monthly billing is available for extended projects and ongoing partnerships. All payments non-refundable.

3.2 Late Payment: Invoices unpaid within 14 days incur 5% monthly interest or the maximum rate permitted under Norwegian law, whichever is greater. Late payment may result in suspension of services and automatic reversion of usage rights.

3.3 Suspension of Services: We reserve the right to suspend work if payments are not received as agreed. Timelines will adjust accordingly. You remain liable for all agreed fees.

3.4 Payment Before Usage: No usage rights granted until full payment received. Unauthorised use constitutes copyright infringement and will result in additional fees and legal action.

4. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Provide necessary materials and information promptly

  • Offer timely feedback

  • Adhere to agreed timelines

  • Obtain permissions for third-party content

  • Indemnify Sylte Studios against claims related to client-provided content or direction

  • Obtain and provide all necessary model releases, property releases, and permissions for photographing individuals and locations

Failure to meet these responsibilities may result in delays, additional costs, or termination. We indemnify you against copyright claims arising solely from our original work—not from content, direction, or materials you provide.

5. REVISIONS AND ADDITIONAL WORK

5.1 Design Projects: Initial fee includes one round of revisions. Additional revisions billed at NOK 1,260 per hour.

5.2 Photography: We deliver a distinct artistic style. You acknowledge and accept this style upon engaging us. Special post-production requests and changes after delivery billed at NOK 1,260 per hour.

5.3 Additional Work: Work beyond the original scope subject to additional fees and separate agreement.

5.4 Delivery Specifications: Deliverables provided in the file formats, resolutions, and colour spaces specified in your agreement. Working files, layered source files, and RAW materials not included unless agreed.

6. CONFIDENTIALITY

Both parties agree to maintain confidentiality of information, trade secrets, and proprietary materials disclosed during the project.

7. TERMINATION AND CANCELLATION

7.1 Either party may terminate in the event of material breach. Termination effective upon written notice.

7.2 Upon termination:

  • All deposits and payments are non-refundable

  • You pay in full for all services delivered to the point of termination

  • You cover all project costs incurred—studio rentals, booked creatives—regardless of whether services have been utilised

  • Outstanding balances due immediately

  • You gain no usage rights to any materials created, including work-in-progress and concepts

7.3 Termination does not affect rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities accrued to the date of termination.

7.4 Cancellation Policy: If you cancel after work begins but before completion:

  • Within 14 days of project start: 50% of total project fee

  • For monthly retainers: 3-month cancellation period

7.5 Kill Fee: If you cancel after viewing concepts, work-in-progress, or preliminary materials but before completion, you owe 75–100% of the total project fee and gain no usage rights. All work remains our exclusive property.

8. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

8.1 This agreement governed by Norwegian law, applicable in Oslo, where Sylte Studios is located.

8.2 Dispute Resolution:

  • Good Faith Negotiation: Parties agree to attempt resolution through good-faith negotiation

  • Mediation: If negotiation unsuccessful, dispute subject to mediation as condition precedent to litigation, conducted by mutually agreed mediator in Oslo

  • Arbitration: If mediation fails, parties submit to binding arbitration in Oslo

  • Litigation: If arbitration unsuccessful, disputes subject to exclusive jurisdiction of courts in Oslo

9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Our liability limited to the total amount you paid for services. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages.

10. FORCE MAJEURE

Neither party liable for failure or delay resulting from causes beyond reasonable control.

11. SEVERABILITY

If any provision held invalid or unenforceable, remaining provisions continue to be valid and enforceable.

12. DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY

We comply with applicable data protection regulations including GDPR. We collect and process client data solely for service provision and maintaining business relationships. You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data. Data retention period: 5 years. For detailed practices, see our Privacy Policy at syltestudios.com/privacy.

13. MORAL RIGHTS

Under Norwegian Copyright Act §3, Sylte Studios and our collaborators retain moral rights to all work created, including the right to be identified as creator and the right to object to derogatory treatment. These rights cannot be waived or transferred.

14. BACKUP AND ARCHIVAL

We maintain backups of design files, content files, and photography in our client folders for 12 months following delivery. After this period, archival and backup becomes your sole responsibility.

For websites built on platforms such as Squarespace and Shopify, you are solely responsible for maintaining backups of content, configurations, and data. We do not maintain backups of live website platforms or third-party hosting services. We recommend you implement regular backup procedures for all platform-based websites.

We are not liable for restoration of files after the 12-month retention period or for data loss on third-party platforms.

15. RELATIONSHIP OF PARTIES

This agreement creates an independent contractor relationship. Nothing construed to create partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship between Sylte Studios and you.

16. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This agreement, together with written project proposals, statements of work, and order confirmations, constitutes the entire agreement between parties and supersedes all prior discussions, negotiations, and agreements. Modifications must be in writing and signed by both parties. Electronic signatures are legally binding and acceptable.

By engaging Sylte Studios, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.

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Photography Terms and Conditions
Photography Copywrite
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