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Photography Services Agreement

Hire a photographer for portraits, campaigns, or event coverage. Set deliverables, raw-file access, usage rights, and rescheduling terms.

Drafted by a Harvard Law entertainment attorney.

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Is this the right contract for your photo shoot?

Use this agreement when hiring a photographer for a shoot or event. Agree on payment, delivery dates, and how the photos can be used.

Good fit for

Photographers hired for a client project or event
Clients commissioning a defined set of photographs
Parties agreeing who obtains model and location permissions

You may also need

Photo, Video & Audio Release - when identifiable people are recorded
Photo Retouching Agreement - for separate post-production retouching
Non-Disclosure Agreement - before sharing confidential project details

What's Inside This Contract

The shoot and finished photos

Sets the work, delivery dates, revisions, and how the client approves the finished photos.

Files and permissions

Records whether raw files are included and who arranges permission from models, location owners, and others.

Ownership and use

Sets out who owns the photos and what the client may do with them under the chosen terms.

Payment and cancellation

Covers the fee, expenses, payment dates, and what happens if the job ends early.

Not sure what a section means? Every contract you create includes a built-in "Explain Sections" view with a plain-English note for each part of the document.

Before you start

It helps to have these details on hand before you create your contract:

Shoot dates, locations, and hours of coverage
Number of finished photos, file formats, and delivery deadline
How the client plans to use the photos and whether raw files are included
Who will arrange permission from people being photographed and location owners
Fee, payment dates, and notice needed to reschedule

Points Worth Negotiating

Finished photos: agree on the number, editing, and delivery deadline so both sides know what the fee covers.
Raw files: decide whether the client receives only finished photos or the original files too. Include that in the price.
Photo use: agree where and how the client may use the photos, and whether the photographer may show them in a portfolio.
Schedule changes: agree on notice and fees for rescheduling or cancellation before reserving the date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does hiring a photographer also provide model or location releases?

No. The photography-specific clause says hiring the photographer does not itself obtain model, location, or other third-party releases. The parties should agree who will obtain permissions before recording.

Are raw photographs included?

Only when the form says they are included. The agreement separately addresses raw capture files and editable source files.

Can the photographer reschedule unilaterally?

The photography-specific clause requires advance notice and makes a reschedule subject to mutual agreement and availability.

What are common warning signs in a photography services agreement?

These are common issues to watch for in any photography services agreement:

Shoot coverage or delivery is open-ended
Raw files are assumed to be included without selection
No one is assigned responsibility for model or location releases
Ownership does not match the client's intended use

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