Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL QUESTIONS

How do you know about the Auroras?
It is no secret, I use several aurora alerting services to let me know when activity is happening in my area. One is Aurora Alerts by SoftServeNews.com and another is Aurora Forecast by Aurora-Service.org.

In conjunction with Aurora Alerts, I also use Google Maps for digital location scouting and Weather.com, and the Storm Radar App (iOS) for locating clear sky's.

What does it take to capture amazing images?
The short answer... It varies.

The long answer... It depends. Mostly it depends on the subject being photographed, the time of day, where it is located, how much planning is required, and what the outcome will be.

Sometimes I get lucky and capture an amazing image just by being at the right place at the right time. But most of the time, there are weeks of planning; to be exactly at a certain location at a certain time to capture a specific scene. Sometimes those scenes last a few moments others all night from dusk to dawn.

What is your favorite thing to photograph?
This is an easy one... I love to photograph mother nature at her finest and most beautiful. Sometimes this is at 2:00 AM with an aurora overhead.  Sometimes it is 8:00 AM on a crisp fall morning. Other times it is 10:00 PM on a long summer evening sunset.

Do you license your images for digital use?
I do offer digital licensing of my images on a case by case basis. Contact me, by clicking on the envelope in the navigation bar above for more details.

Can I commission you for a private project?
Certainly.  If you are looking for something specific, send me a note through the contact page.  I would love to chat with you about your needs and how I can help.  Compensation for private projects varies depending on your needs.  Send me a note and let's collaborate.

Do you offer public speaking/education at events and private functions?
Most definitely. I am happy to talk at your function, event, workshop, or ...  The best thing to do is to send me a note via the contact page and we can chat about what your needs are and how I can help. Compensation for public speaking/education depending on your needs.  Send me a note and let's collaborate.

How can I find a specific item available in your catalog?
Enter the exact title of the art piece into the search box at the top of the website.  Alternatively, you can search for keywords using the search box as well.

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ORDERING

How do I place an order?
We have tried to make our ordering system as simple as possible. We have designed it to be a four-step process. After you have browsed the catalog and found your favorite piece(s) complete the following:
1) Select the type of print you want
2) Select the material you want your art produced on.
3) Select your size
4) Select the quantity and add to cart

If you want to keep shopping click "continue shopping" and repeat the steps above to order multiple images. If you are ready to complete your order, click "View Shopping Cart" to begin the checkout process.

What payment options do you accept?
We can accept all major credit cards, through our site's merchant account or via PayPal. 

When will my credit card be billed?
The credit card is billed at the time the order is placed. The transaction is typically processed by our credit card merchant immediately.

Can I cancel my order? Can I get a refund?
Because my artwork is printed custom for each order, it is often difficult to make changes/refunds. If your order has already been sent to the print lab, it might be too late to make changes, particularly if you want to add items or change the print size.

If you've received a confirmation number via email, this means your order has already been sent to the print lab, but we can still try to help!

Contact us ASAP so we can contact the print lab and try to stop the order before it enters production. Don't forget to include your order number!

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PRODUCTION & SHIPPING

How long will it take for my order to arrive?
We take up to three business days to perfect your photos for printing. Our lab in Santa Cruz will take up to an additional seven days to produce your order. After that you get to select your shipping method - USPS Priority and UPS Ground (3-5 business days), UPS 2-Day, or UPS Overnight.

Why does it take Brian Gailey Photography 3-days to "perfect the photos"?
Once the image is printed, we cannot make any changes to the artwork. We want to make sure that your custom ordered artwork is flawless. We will check the crop, size, and material before making adjustments if needed before sending it to the lab.

Why does the lab take up to seven days to produce the order?
We use a professional print lab in Santa Cruz, California. We are not the only clients of this lab. They produce hundreds of orders daily in a 'first come, first served' format. 

What countries do you ship to?
We ship to many places and the list of available countries changes often. Please click here for the latest list of available countries.

Note: We're unable to cover any duties/taxes applied by your government's customs authority.

How do I track my order?
Tracking information will be provided via email after our professional print lab creates the shipping label.

How much will the shipping cost?
Shipping prices vary depending on the product ordered and the shipping method used. Please visit the Shipping page for more info.

Can I ship to a Post Office box?
To ensure proper and prompt delivery, we recommend shipping to a physical street address. Preferably a business address where a signature is required for delivery. If you cannot receive the delivery at your business address we recommend using a 3rd party location such as a FedEx Office, UPS Store, or privately owned mailbox business.

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CHECKOUT

What currency do you accept?
When you're viewing your shopping cart, you should see a drop-down menu near the top right that lets you switch to one of 10 different currencies: US Dollar, Canadian Dollar, British Pound, Euro, Australian Dollar, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc, New Zealand Dollar, Swedish Krona, Hong Kong Dollar.

My shopping cart is empty when I check out
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