- SIMPLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRACT TEMPLATE PROFESSIONAL
- SIMPLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRACT TEMPLATE FREE
SIMPLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRACT TEMPLATE FREE
While I don’t condone most types of free work, it’s sometimes a necessary evil if you have no other means of getting your foot in the door. Such agreements can firmly establish copyright ownership, promotional use, licensing, printing rights, and whatever else you may wish to include (for which the sections below will be helpful). Even free work requires a wedding photography contractĪ wedding photography contract is also necessary for amateur wedding photographers who aim to bolster their body of work and gain experience by providing unremunerative work. When users seek advice regarding a dispute or disagreement in the photographer-client (and sometimes, a photographer-photographer) relationship, there is often a notable absence of a contract to govern what they agreed to (assuming they agreed to anything, even verbally). I’ve been a regular lurker on the wedding photography forums since starting my business, and during that time, I’ve noticed a predictable pattern amid the help requests in their archives (which, incidentally, are a treasure trove of practical business wisdom). Why is a wedding photography contract significant? Written contracts help protect you and your clients from broken promises by being an authoritative record of your rights and obligations. Stated otherwise: verbal agreements are much more difficult to prove. In Ontario, verbal agreements are just as valid as written ones however, in practice, they are much more difficult to enforce if disputes should arise due to contradictory claims. A contract is considered a meeting of minds you and your clients agree “to the essential terms and both of the same mind about what the agreement ” ( source). At a minimum, it should establish expectations for details such as date of service, payment schedule, and copyright ownership, but typically goes into precise details. What is a wedding photography contract?Ī wedding photography contract is a formalised sales and service agreement between you and your client that is enforceable by law. Whether you’re laying the groundwork for a successful business or earning vacation money on the weekends, a wedding photography contract is indispensable. This can lead to situations where many inexperienced photographers rush to find work but don’t take the time to plan their businesses, set hard expectations, or protect their (and their clients’) interests if things go awry. All you need is some will, a camera or two, and the ability to sell yourself (or undercut everyone’s price, if that’s how you roll). Wedding photography is an industry with low barriers to entry and potentially high rewards on investment. A wedding photography contract is a must-have
SIMPLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRACT TEMPLATE PROFESSIONAL
While reading, please keep in mind that I’m not a legal professional this is written from the perspective of one business owner sharing advise with others.
This article is written for novice photographers and second shooters (hoping to break out on their own) and is not meant to assist seasoned professionals with more complex requirements. Secondly, it will guide you in drafting your first wedding photography contract using my current photography agreement as a template. First, to convince you that no matter how small your business and how infrequently you photograph weddings, you should always have a wedding photography contract governing the expectations for each job.