Creative contract
Freelance photography contract template
A clear contract for a shoot: portraits, events, products, or commercial work. Fill in the brackets and confirm it before the shoot date.
This template is a general starting point, not legal advice. Laws vary by location. Have a qualified attorney review anything important before you rely on it.
Photography contract
Freelance photography contract template
1. The parties
This agreement is made on [Date] between [Your Name / Business Name] (the "Contractor") and [Client Name / Company] (the "Client").
The Contractor is an independent contractor, not an employee of the Client.
2. The shoot
The Contractor will photograph [describe: subject, location, date, and start and end time].
Deliverables: [number] edited images delivered as [format] within [X] days via [gallery / download]. Unedited RAW files are not included unless stated here.
3. Selection and editing
The Client selects final images from a proof gallery. The fee includes standard color and exposure editing.
Advanced retouching beyond standard editing is billed at [Amount] per image. Reshoots requested by the Client are billed as a new session.
4. Fees and payment
The total fee for the work is [Amount]. A non-refundable deposit of [Amount or %] is due before work begins, and the balance is due [on delivery / per the schedule below].
Invoices are payable within [14] days. Late payments may incur a fee of [1.5%] per month on the outstanding balance.
Any expenses (stock assets, plugins, printing, travel) are billed to the Client at cost and agreed in advance.
5. Changes and additional work
Work outside the scope described above is not included. If the Client requests additional work, the Contractor will provide a written estimate, and that work begins once the Client approves it in writing.
6. Client responsibilities
The Client will provide all content, access, feedback, and approvals needed to complete the work, in a timely manner.
If the project is delayed by more than [30] days due to a lack of Client response or materials, the Contractor may pause the project and invoice for work completed to date.
7. Copyright and usage rights
The Contractor retains copyright of all images. The Client is granted a [personal / commercial] license to use the delivered images for [describe permitted uses].
Use beyond the granted license (resale, sublicensing, or uses not listed) requires a separate written agreement. The Contractor may use the images for portfolio and promotion unless the Client requests otherwise in writing.
If people are photographed, a signed model release is [attached / required before publication].
8. Confidentiality
Each party will keep the other's confidential information private and use it only to carry out this agreement.
The Contractor may show the finished work in a portfolio or case study unless the Client asks in writing to keep it private.
9. Cancellation
Either party may end this agreement with [14] days written notice. If the Client cancels, the deposit is non-refundable and the Client pays for all work completed up to the cancellation date.
If the Contractor cancels, any pre-paid amount for work not yet delivered is refunded.
10. Liability
The Contractor's total liability under this agreement is limited to the total fees paid by the Client. Neither party is liable for indirect or consequential losses.
The work is provided without warranties beyond those stated here.
11. Independent contractor
The Contractor controls how and when the work is done, uses their own tools, and is responsible for their own taxes and insurance. Nothing here creates an employment, partnership, or agency relationship.
12. Governing law
This agreement is governed by the laws of [Your State / Country]. Any dispute will be handled in the courts of that location.
13. Signatures
Contractor: ______________________________ Date: ____________
Client: __________________________________ Date: ____________
Turn this into an e-signed contract in minutes
Paste your details once and Raoura sends this as a contract your client signs online, with the deposit invoice attached. $17 a month, no cut of your payments.
Keep reading