Frequently Asked Questions
The online gallery system is not a free service due to the administration costs involved with creating a personalised password-protected portal for a single individual. In order for us to keep in line with our GDPR and safeguarding policies the images need to be held on a secure server rented from a third party company that adheres to strict security rules. We also have to pay for third-party software which allows the viewing ordering and checkout of the images should the customer purchase. These charges are made to us for every gallery we need to create and every time we need to securely upload images that take up server space.
If a customer places an order we reduce the order total by the cost paid to create the gallery effectively removing the charge.
Yes, of course. Please click here to be taken directly to our online Proof Sheet Ordering System.
Depending on how the swimming school has chosen to participate in the sale of the images you will be able to view the images in one of two ways.
On site viewing and purchasing:
This method is the most popular for swimming pool companies who directly own the pools in which they operate out of.
Once we have completed shooting all of the classes for the venue our team will return the following week with our state of the art viewing systems. All of the images will have been edited down to the very best of those taken. We will have also taken the time to colour correct and retouch any images in need. Our friendly sales staff will then be able to locate the images of your child using the class time and date. You will then be able to view all of the best images taken and make a decision of what you would like to purchase.
All print products (except canvas) and digital copies are ready to take away with you immediately. Payment must be made before and order is produced. We accept cash or credit/debit cards.
Proof Pack Ordering System:
This method is used by swimming pool companies who use rented time slots in pools which they do not own to conduct lessons.
After the images have been taken, all images are edited down to the best shots taken, hand colour corrected and retouched where necessary. A printed proof sheet containing the images of each child is then produced and delivered to the swim school along side an order form for each parent to take home. Our Digital Artists do their best to have the proof sheets ready for collection the following week. These proof sheets are handed out by your child’s swimming instructor. Each proof sheet displays a hand in date for which all orders need to be returned to the swimming school for our collection. All orders are typically available for collection from the swimming school within a two week period.
All our equipment is high end industry standard professional photographic equipment. We invest large sums of money every year to ensure all cameras, lenses, underwater housings and lighting equipment is maintained to the highest of quality.
The quality of the final images is limited by the quality of the water in which we photograph. Any suspended particles in the water which exists between the front of the camera lens and the subject can give the effect of a lower quality image.
We work closely with all pools to ensure that the optical quality of the water is at its absolute best before and during our visit. Water quality within pools can vary vastly depending on a number of factors including, how many children use the pool and how quickly the pools plant cycle takes to clean the entire pools volume of water (known as the Refresh Rate).
The water clarity of each pool is the sole responsibility of the company that the pool belongs to Pja Photography can only advise pool companies on best steps to take to improve the water quality. Pja Photography cannot be held responsible for an image which shows signs of lack of clarity due to low optical clarity of the water in which the image(s) have been captured.
Due to the costs involved of producing the images we capture, staffing, transport, pool hire and keeping up with safety regulations, you may find it uneconomical to hire our services for a single child.
If you own your own pool and would like us to conduct a photo shoot on your own premises, please contact us to discuss our availability and the associated fee’s.
Only Bubble Snaps staff have access to any images captured by Bubble Snaps Ltd. We have a very robust network security system that is annually maintained to ensure high levels of data protection are achieved.
Images are not allowed to leave Bubble Snaps’ Head Office unless they have either been purchased by a parent/guardian, are being transported to a venue to be sold under the staff of Bubble Snaps Ltd, or being posted to a customer after purchase.
All staff who work directly with children or with children’s images have been checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
All images are stored at our Head Office location. The images are not kept any longer than necessary to fulfill orders. Our main server system automatically purges older images from our storage devices in order to maintain free space for the most recent pools we enter. Because of this, the length of time images are stored varies depending on the number of bookings we have at any given time. It is highly recommended to purchase any images you wish within the time frame alocated either during the sales week at the pool or by the date on your proof sheet/e-mail to avoid dissapointment.
All images stored on our servers are only available to view by Bubble Snaps Ltd staff and are located behind several network security devices. Images are not taken off-site unless they are required to be physically sold within a swimming pool location or have been purchased by a parent/guardian.
Under UK law the creator of the image owns exclusive copyright unless otherwise stated in a written agreement. On purchasing digital copies of any of our images limited copyright is transferred to the purchaser. You are legally allowed to print and display the images you have purchased for your own personal use.
You are not allowed to resell any images you have purchased for financial profit without the explicit written consent of Bubble Snaps Ltd.
Purchasing any printed products from Bubble Snaps Ltd does not give you copyright permission. The copying of a printed image or a digitally displayed image created by Bubble Snaps Ltd is a direct breach of UK copyright law.
All images captured are for the sole viewing and purchasing of the parent or guardian associated with the photographic subject.
We and the pools we cover do from time to time like to use the images for marketing purposes, however, we do not use/allow the use of any image for marketing purposes unless direct written consent has been obtained from the legal parent/guardian of the individual in question.
If Bubble Snaps Ltd or an associated swimming pool would like to use any of the images captured of your child we will contact you to ask permission and a model release will be sent directly to you which clearly states what the images will be used for.
We operate an opt-out photographic policy at all schools we cover. This means that notices are displayed around the swimming pool informing parents/guardians when photographers will be present and capturing within the pool environment. Notices do state that if you do not want your child to be photographed you can inform the swimming instructor at the start of the lesson. Your child will then be given a red band to wear on their wrist which tells the photographers within the pool area that the child may not be captured under any circumstance.
If you belong to a swimming pool who has arranged to have an appointment basis capture; you are giving your consent to have your child’s photograph to be taken by making an appointment. Any child’s parent/guardian who has not made an appointment will not be captured.
We do not need direct written consent for every single child that we capture. Much like CCTV notices, providing the notice is displayed that CCTV is operating in or around a premises it is your decision to enter the building and be captured.
All staff working at Bubble Snaps Ltd who are in direct contact with children are routinely DBS checked.
We operate two separate capturing policies:
- Appointment Capture
- Capture All
If your swimming school has chosen an Appointment Capture policy you will need to make an appointment via the swimming pools reception desk. Booking prices are set by the swim school itself. You will need to contact them directly in order to find out this information.
With a Capture All policy; you will not need to make an appointment. All children will be captured within their standard lesson times.
Your swimming school will be able to tell you exactly what type of capturing policy is in place. If in doubt contact us and we will happily tell you.
Exact prices vary from school to school. A price list will be available at the reception desk of the pool and displayed around the pools various internal rooms before and during our visit.
If your child attends a swimming pool in which we operate a ‘capture all’ policy then please tell your request to your child’s swimming instructor at the start of the lesson. Your child will be given a red band to wear on their wrist which helps identify them to all the photographers working within the pool area. All our photographers know any child wearing a red band is not to be captured under any circumstance.
If you belong to swim school and you missed sales week: You can request to have an online gallery by filling out the ‘Request an Online Gallery’ Form.
If your child missed his/her lesson and we are still currently attending dates at your local pool it is advised that you can ask the pool staff to rearrange a time that they can slot your child in on another lesson on a day that we are attending.
We regret that due to the costs involved in producing the images we capture we cannot return to any pool to capture a single child or small number of children.
Most of our schools ask us to attend on a yearly basis. We hope to see you next time!
We work closely with all our pools to insure parents are notified before we visit. These notofcations can be in the form of an e-mail or SMS message which will detail the dates we will be attending. We also send out advertising posters which are placed in and around the various different areas of the pool site which will detail the dates we be attending.