When starting a photography business, one of the most important items you can get is a contract. Photography contracts are essential for doing business, because they protect you, your assets, and your client. Here are 6 items to consider adding in your contract before you book clients.
Scope of the Project
Your contract must share important details about what is included for the photoshoot. Regardless of if you’re a wedding photographer or portrait photographer, here are some things this might include:
- Services: What services are you providing (photography coverage for a wedding, engagement, mini session, etc)?
- Timeline: How many hours are you shooting, what time do your services start and stop, and what day(s) will you be performing these services?
- Location: Where will the photography session take place?
Permits
Oftentimes, if your client wants photos at a location other than their property or your studio, you will need a permit to shoot there. Typically, photographers require their clients to obtain the permits and pay for these feeds, but make sure this is in your contract for clarity.
Have your client submit proof to you that the permit was successfully obtained before the date of the shoot to ensure you have permission to take photos at your desired location.
Travel Fees
Photographers often debate as to whether or not they should have clients pay for their travel fees or not. Even though some amount of travel is tax deductible, it can still add up! If you end up determining it’s the right move for your business, be sure this makes it into the contract!
Whether you’re driving 2 hours to an engagement shoot or flying to another country and need a plane ticket, rental car, and a hotel for a few days, it’s crucial this is included in your contract so clients are aware that this is their responsibility.
Model Release
Within your contract, it can be smart to also include a model release, especially if you’re doing fashion photography shoots or sessions with minors.
When your client signs a model release, they are granting you permission to use and publish the photos in various forms you specified (such as on social platforms or printed in a magazine). Additionally, this form can also remove the rights that your client might have had to compensation when the images are used in certain ways.
Payment Details
Within your contract, include the necessary payment details and terms. Make sure that this section is extremely clear and written correctly so that you can point back to it in case your client is late on payment or questions why they are charged for certain fees. Within the payment terms, include things like:
- Total Cost
- Retainer and when this is due
- Remaining balance after the retainer is paid
- Payment schedule
- What happens if the client is late on payment (especially the final payment)
Deliverables
Be upfront and clear about the deliverables your client can expect to receive from you throughout their course of working with you. For example, are you providing a gallery of edited images that include retouching, or are you sending your clients the unedited files? Will you be giving clients an online gallery where they can view their images, or are you delivering the images to them on a flash drive?
Along with outlining the deliverables they will receive, also include the timeframe for when they will receive these. As a pro tip, aim to under promise and over deliver! If your contract states that you send out a completed gallery within 6 weeks of the session, aim to get it to your client in 4 weeks! Not only will they be excited to see the images early, but it also gives them a great reason to recommend you to their friends and family.
Final Thoughts
While there are numerous things you can include in your contract, these 6 items can help you get started. Whether you create your own contract or buy one, remember to have a lawyer look it over to ensure you’re protected.
