Legal
Terms & Conditions
Last updated: July 24, 2026
These terms govern your use of Shotcast. It is a free planning tool, provided as-is, and it is never a substitute for your own judgment about conditions and safety in the field.
Agreement to these terms
These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of Shotcast (the "app", at shotcast.photos), operated by Johnston Software and Services, LLC ("we", "us", "our"). By using the app you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the app.
What Shotcast is
Shotcast is a free tool that scores forecast hours for landscape photography. It combines public forecast data with astronomical calculations to estimate how good the light and conditions may be. It is provided for planning and informational purposes only.
Forecasts are predictions, not guarantees
Weather and tide forecasts are inherently uncertain and can be wrong. Scores, flags, golden-hour times, and tide values are estimates derived from third-party data and may be inaccurate, incomplete, or unavailable. Do not rely on the app as your only source for any decision.
Safety and assumption of risk
Landscape photography can take you to remote, coastal, elevated, low-light, or otherwise hazardous places. Shotcast does not account for tides cutting off a route, cliff or trail conditions, water hazards, weather changing faster than forecast, or your own experience and equipment.
You are solely responsible for your own safety and for assessing conditions yourself. Always check official sources such as local authorities, tide tables, and weather warnings, tell someone your plans, and use your own judgment. Never put yourself at risk for a photograph.
License and acceptable use
We grant you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use the app for its intended purpose. You agree not to: reverse engineer the app except where the law permits; disrupt, overload, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to the app or the third-party services it relies on; scrape or automate access beyond ordinary personal use; or use the app for any unlawful purpose.
Intellectual property
The app, its Photo Score model, design, text, and branding are owned by Johnston Software and Services, LLC and protected by intellectual-property laws. Forecast data is provided by third parties (including Open-Meteo and NOAA) under their own terms and remains theirs. "Shotcast" and its logos are ours; you may not use them without permission.
Third-party services
The app relies on third-party data and services, including Open-Meteo, NOAA, Cloudflare, and Substack. We do not control them and are not responsible for their availability, accuracy, or practices. Your use of those services may be subject to their own terms.
Your data and backups
You are responsible for the location data and notes you enter, and for keeping your own backups. The app stores your data on your device (see the Privacy Policy), so we are not responsible for data lost through clearing the app, device failure, or uninstalling.
No warranty
The app is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the app will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that any forecast or score will be accurate.
Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Johnston Software and Services, LLC will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of data or profits, or for any injury, property damage, or loss arising from your use of the app or your reliance on its forecasts or scores. Because the app is provided free of charge, our total aggregate liability for any claim relating to the app will not exceed one hundred US dollars (US$100).
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Johnston Software and Services, LLC from any claims, damages, or expenses arising out of your use of the app or your violation of these Terms.
Changes and termination
We may modify the app or these Terms at any time. Continued use after changes take effect means you accept them; the "Last updated" date above shows the current version. We may suspend or discontinue the app, in whole or in part, at any time. You may stop using the app and delete it at any time.
Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Oregon, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. You agree that the state and federal courts located in Oregon have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the app.
Contact
Questions about these Terms:
Johnston Software and Services, LLC
privacy@shotcast.photos