Terms of Service

Last updated: 24 August 2026

Before The Shot is developed by Joshua Ball, trading as JoshuaJBall, a sole trader based in the United Kingdom. This app is distributed through the Apple App Store, and your use of it is also subject to Apple's own Licensed Application End User License Agreement, which applies in addition to these terms.

ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS

By downloading, installing, or using Before The Shot, you agree to these terms. If you don't agree to them, don't use the app.

WHAT THE APP IS

Before The Shot is a photography planning tool. It helps you make deliberate decisions about a photograph before you take it, and gives you tools to reflect on and track your consistency afterward. It does not connect to a camera, does not take photographs, and does not guarantee any particular result from your photography.

NO ACCOUNT, NO SERVER

The app does not use accounts or logins. Everything you enter is stored only on your own device. There is nothing on our end to reset, recover, or transfer if you lose access to your device, see the Privacy Policy for the full detail.

FREE AND PRO ACCESS

The app is free to use with limited weekly access to its core planning tools. Before The Shot Pro is an auto-renewing subscription that unlocks the full set of tools.

  • Subscriptions are billed through your Apple ID account and renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.

  • Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase.

  • You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time in your device's Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. We do not have the ability to cancel it on your behalf, since we never see or process the payment ourselves, Apple does.

  • Pricing is shown in the App Store listing and may change; if it does, you'll be notified in line with Apple's own requirements before any new price applies to you.

  • Refunds are handled by Apple under their own refund policies, not by us directly.

ACCEPTABLE USE

Use the app for its intended purpose. Don't attempt to reverse engineer, resell, redistribute, or interfere with the app or its underlying content.

CONTENT YOU CREATE IN THE APP

Before The Shot has no accounts, no social features, and no server. Anything you write, shoot plans, reflections, notes, shot lists, is stored only on your own device. It is never uploaded, never shared with other users, and cannot be seen by anyone else through the app.

Because of this, you are solely responsible for what you write and for keeping your own copies of anything you want to keep. You are responsible for ensuring your entries don't infringe anyone else's rights or break any law that applies to you.

We do not monitor, moderate, review, access, or back up your entries, and we have no technical means of doing so. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for the content of your entries, or for any loss of that content, including loss caused by deleting the app, resetting or losing your device, or using the app's own Delete All Data function. The Export Data function is provided so you can make your own backups, and we'd encourage you to use it.

CONTENT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

The app's written guidance, the Five Decisions framework, the shoot plans, the tool content, and the app's design and wording are the original work and intellectual property of Joshua Ball, protected by copyright. © 2026 Joshua Ball. All rights reserved.

Your licence to use the app is personal and non-exclusive. You may use the content for your own photography. You may not, without prior written permission:

  • copy, reproduce, republish, or redistribute the app's written content, in whole or in part, in any medium;

  • use the content to create a competing or derivative product, service, course, or application;

  • use the content to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop a machine learning or artificial intelligence system;

  • resell, sublicense, rent, or otherwise commercially exploit any part of the app or its content;

  • remove or obscure any copyright, trade mark, or ownership notice.

"Before The Shot", "JoshuaJBall", and "If you didn't decide, you guessed." are used as trade marks of Joshua Ball.

Anything you personally type into the app, your own shoot plans, reflections, and notes, remains yours; we make no claim over it, and since it's stored only on your device, we couldn't access it even if we wanted to.

NO PROFESSIONAL GUARANTEE

The guidance in this app is educational, based on the developer's own photography teaching methodology. It is not a guarantee of any particular photographic outcome, technical result, or commercial success, and shouldn't be treated as professional or technical certification of any kind.

DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

The app is provided "as is," without warranties of any kind, express or implied. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Joshua Ball is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential loss arising from your use of the app, including loss of data stored locally on your device. Nothing in these terms limits any liability that cannot legally be limited or excluded, including for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud.

YOUR CONSUMER RIGHTS

Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer under UK law, including rights relating to digital content under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

CHANGES TO THE APP OR THESE TERMS

The app and these terms may be updated from time to time. Continuing to use the app after an update to these terms means you accept the revised version.

TERMINATION

You can stop using the app and delete it at any time. We may withdraw or discontinue the app at our discretion, though we'll aim to give reasonable notice where practical.

GOVERNING LAW

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

CONTACT

Questions about these terms can be sent to the contact address listed in the app, under You → Contact.