A ready-made photo shoot contract: from package contents and payment schedule to copyright and force majeure. Fill in your details and prices, and show the contract to a local lawyer before your first client.
Fields for date, location, and time, shoot type (wedding, love story, event, portrait), and a checklist of what's included: shooting hours, second photographer, number of edited images, online gallery, printing, and album.
Price table with additional hours and travel fees, a three-payment schedule (retainer, second payment, remaining balance), payment methods, and late payment penalties.
Cancellation terms based on your own timeframe, one free reschedule with the retainer moved to the new date, and a force majeure clause.
The rights remain with the photographer; the client receives a personal license to download, print at any lab, and publish on social media with credit to the photographer.
Preview and full gallery deadlines, gallery access period, what's included in processing, revision rounds, and why RAW source files aren't delivered.
For those who shoot both photos and videos: what's included in a film, a separate deadline for the film, music, sound recording, and film revisions.
Contents:
Plus signatures, Addendum A: Photo + Video (Hybrid) Coverage, and Addendum B: Specific Requests.
Section 3 — Delivery:
Section 5 — Cancellation & Rescheduling (by Client):
Section 9 — Copyright & Usage Rights:
The Photographer retains full copyright of all images. The Client receives a personal, non-exclusive license to download, view, and share the images for personal (non-commercial) use, print them for personal use at any print lab, and share them on personal social media with credit to the Photographer.
Addendum A — Music (hybrid coverage):
Films use music licensed for this purpose. Client song requests are welcome, but popular songs may be blocked or muted on social media platforms and may not be usable in the films the Photographer shares.
The template is suitable for any type of shoot, but is specifically designed for weddings: shoot type “wedding,” second photographer, sneak peek within the first few days, estimated number of edited images, full-resolution gallery, print release, and album. A separate addendum is for those who shoot both photos and video: what's included in the film, deadlines, music, sound, and film revisions.
At the end of the file is a completed sample: a fictional studio shoots a fictional wedding for 8 hours with a second photographer. The sample shows how to fill out the shoot details, package contents, sneak peek and gallery deadlines, price and three-payment schedule, cancellation policy, overtime, file storage, and signatures. All figures are examples, not recommended prices: enter your own.
A contract protects both you and the client. It outlines in advance what is included in the shoot, how much and when to pay, the deadline for delivering the photos, and what happens if plans change. Without a contract, a dispute over the number of shots, a canceled date, or a photo in someone else's ad turns into a personal argument. With a contract, it's simply a question of the clause both parties have signed.
Specify what exactly the client is paying for: hours of shooting, second photographer, approximate number of edited images, printing, and an album. Also list what is not included, such as RAW originals and complex retouching. Give the number of images as an estimate, not a promise: the number of shots depends on the light, length of the shoot, and the specifics of the day.
A retainer reserves the date: once it's paid, you don't book anyone else for that time. Therefore, it's a good idea to explicitly state in the contract that the retainer is non-refundable if the client cancels. It's best to receive the remaining balance before the shoot rather than after, so that the delivery of photos isn't dependent on outstanding debts.
Separate cancellation and rescheduling. When canceling, the client loses the retainer, and the closer the date, the greater the amount owed. When rescheduling, the retainer carries over to the new date. The cutoff for each tier is left blank in the template; you define them yourself.
You retain the copyright, and the client receives a personal license. Be sure to include a print release: some photo labs require one before printing images that look like professional work. Also, separately stipulate the right to use the images in the portfolio, with the client being able to opt out by adding their initials.
Specify the sneak peek and full gallery deadlines, the delivery method, and how many months the gallery will be available. This last point is often forgotten, and then a year later the client asks you to send the photos again. An online gallery with a clear access period eliminates this issue, and if you deliver photos through OurStoria, the couple's photos and videos are stored in a single branded gallery.
The client chooses you for your style, so selecting and editing the images is your decision. Describe what's included in the basic editing, how many revision rounds are free, and how much complex retouching costs. And clearly state that RAW files are not delivered: this is a common question.
The template includes a separate addendum for hybrid shooting. It includes features not found in typical photographer's contracts: film deliverables, a separate video delivery deadline (editing usually takes longer than photo processing), music terms, audio recording of vows and speeches, and film revisions. If you only shoot video, check out our videographer contract template.
This template is for educational purposes only. Laws vary by country and state, so please show the contract to a local attorney before working with clients. A one-time consultation is inexpensive compared to the protection provided by a properly drafted contract.
At minimum: session details and what the package includes, fees and the payment schedule, cancellation and rescheduling terms, copyright and the client's usage rights, delivery deadlines and how long the gallery stays available, liability limits, and signatures. This template covers all of these in 18 sections, plus addenda for hybrid photo and video coverage and for specific requests.
Yes. Enter your email and you get the full template as a PDF and an editable Word file right away.
Yes. The template is for educational purposes, and contract law varies by country and state. Have a local attorney review it before you use it with real clients.
Yes. Addendum A covers hybrid coverage: film deliverables, a separate delivery deadline for the film, music, audio recording of vows and speeches, and film revisions.
Yes. Section 3 of the template sets the gallery access period and states that the client is responsible for downloading and backing up the images during that time.
Not unless you agree to it. The template lists RAW and unedited files as not included and states that the photographer does not deliver them.
Yes, at the end of the file. The sample is filled out for a fictional studio and wedding: shoot details, package contents, sneak peek and gallery deadlines, payment schedule, cancellation policy, overtime, file storage, and signatures. The numbers in it are examples, not recommendations.