Legal
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Terms for the "Old Gear" second-hand sales and the Milky Way photography workshops offered on this website. Both are offered by Florian Thalmann as a private individual, not as a registered business, and are available exclusively to persons resident in Switzerland.
Old Gear — sales terms
Seller
Items listed under "Old Gear" are sold by Florian Thalmann from his personal collection of used photographic equipment, and not as part of a professional photographic equipment retail business.
Condition and description
Each listed item is a used, vintage piece of equipment. Unless stated otherwise, items have not been recently used or tested, and are sold in their current condition, without any assurance of full functionality. Known defects and visible signs of wear are described and photographed where possible, to the best of the seller's knowledge.
Enquiries and contract formation
Enquiries are made via the contact form by selecting "Gear inquiry". Website listings are invitations to enquire and do not constitute binding offers. An item is reserved only after availability, the total price, and pickup or shipping arrangements have been confirmed by email. A purchase contract is concluded only when the buyer accepts these confirmed terms in writing.
Handover
Items can be collected in person in the Emmenbrücke area, or shipped within Switzerland at the buyer's request. Shipping costs are agreed separately and are not included in the listed price.
Payment
For in-person pickup, payment is made in cash or via TWINT at the time of handover. For shipped items, payment is made in advance by bank transfer before the item is dispatched.
Returns and warranty
Items are sold in the condition described and shown in the individual listing and in any additional photographs supplied before the sale. No voluntary right of return is offered. To the extent permitted by Swiss law, statutory warranty rights for defects are excluded. This exclusion does not apply to defects fraudulently concealed by the seller, or to qualities expressly guaranteed in writing. Buyers are encouraged to ask questions and request additional photographs before purchasing.
Print, poster and calendar orders — terms
Nature of the request
The "Order a print, poster or calendar" feature on the Switzerland, Travel, Astro and Analog galleries lets visitors select photographs and describe what they would like (print, poster, calendar or other). Sending this form is an enquiry only, not a purchase, order confirmation or binding offer, and nothing is charged automatically.
Contract formation
A request is reviewed individually by email. Product, size, material, pricing, production and shipping (within Switzerland or, where agreed, internationally) are confirmed separately for each enquiry. A purchase contract is concluded only once these confirmed terms have been accepted in writing by both parties.
Payment
Payment terms are agreed individually per order once details are confirmed by email, typically in advance by bank transfer or TWINT before production or shipping.
Returns and cancellation
As prints, posters and calendars are produced individually per order, the statutory right of withdrawal for made-to-order goods does not apply once production has started. Any cancellation must be agreed before production begins.
Milky Way photography workshops — terms
What's offered
A small-group, hands-on evening of Milky Way photography at a Swiss dark-sky location chosen together in advance, led by Florian Thalmann. This is a photography workshop, not a guided tour — travel to and from the meeting point, and any required travel insurance, are each participant's own responsibility.
Group size
Groups are kept small, typically 2–4 participants, to allow individual attention.
Minimum age
Participants must be at least 16 years old. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Booking and pricing
There is no fixed price list — the exact price and expected duration depend on location, group size and conditions, and are confirmed in writing by email before booking. A specific date, time and location are agreed individually for each booking, based on Milky Way visibility and weather. A booking becomes binding only once the date, location, expected duration, price and number of participants have been confirmed in writing by email.
Payment
Payment is made in cash or via TWINT on the evening of the workshop, on location. No advance payment or deposit is required to book.
Weather and cancellation
Because this depends entirely on clear, dark skies, a workshop may be cancelled at short notice due to weather. Since payment only happens on the evening itself, no refund is necessary in this case — a cancelled session simply requires a new booking for a different date, at no cost or obligation on either side.
Please cancel as early as possible if you are unable to attend. Repeated late cancellations or non-attendance may result in future booking requests being declined.
Loaned equipment
For participants without their own camera, a limited amount of loaner equipment (camera body, lens and tripod) is available on request when booking, for up to 2 participants per session. This equipment is older, well-used gear provided for a first hands-on experience, not warranted to be free of cosmetic wear. Participants using loaned equipment are liable for damage or loss beyond normal wear during the session; no insurance coverage is provided for this equipment. Availability is confirmed individually and is not guaranteed for every booking.
Physical conditions
Locations are typically reached partly on foot, often in the dark and in alpine terrain. Participants are expected to bring suitable footwear and clothing for mountain conditions at night, and to be in adequate physical condition for the agreed location.
Liability
Participation is at each participant's own risk. Florian Thalmann is not liable for injury, loss or damage arising from participation, except in cases of intentional misconduct or gross negligence. Nothing in these terms excludes liability where exclusion is not permitted under mandatory Swiss law.
Photography and publication
Identifiable photographs or videos of participants will only be published with their prior consent.
Governing law
These terms are governed by Swiss law. Both the sale of gear and the workshops described above are offered exclusively within Switzerland.