It’s important to properly protect your business with signed contracts. But hiring legal counsel to draft them can get expensive. That’s why PPA provides these free, ready-made contracts that you can simply download and customize for your business. From model releases to wedding contracts, to non-compete agreements and much more, you’ll find legal forms for every aspect of your business.
Here are guidelines and resources for any photography-related contract you might need, including how to make a contract, how to dissolve a contract, and even sample cancellation letters:
A great resource to guide you through the client-photographer process, these guidelines provide a pathway to having a mutually beneficial relationship and best protect your business from any potential mishaps.
In the unfortunate case that you have a disagreeable client, or one whose expectations you cannot meet, this document gives you the framework you need for dissolving your existing contract in a professional, peaceable way.
If, for some reason, your client has to cancel on you and you need to contact them about services that have yet to be fulfilled, you can use this letter to intiate a dialogue about how you want to deal with the unused services.
Here you'll find sample contracts and helpful templates to work with independent contractors with your photography studio, or when needing to create non-compete and non-solicitation agreements:
This is a sample contract for studios hiring independent contractors. Don't forget to fill in the blanks and adjust clauses per contract. Different jobs call for different terms! Remember, return to the main page to check the templates that we already offer for different jobs.
PPA often talks to members who are looking for a "non-compete" agreement that they can present to their employees. Non-solicitation agreements are similar to non-compete agreements except that they generally restrict activities in regard to certain clients of the business. PPA recommends that you consult with a local attorney before asking anyone to sign a non-compete or non-solicitation agreement.
These sample contract templates will help you with all sorts of jobs, including weddings, portraits, sports, corporate events, and photo booths:
Special weddings call for special wedding contracts. We offer a sample for PPA photographers when you do those wedding shoots!
Whether you're photographing people, animals, or photography this sample helps you outline the specific details of your session.
Whether you are on the field, or at the pool, having a contract for your sports-based clients is a solid choice. This sample is a great starting point!
This corporate event sample contract will help you make the right considerations for any occasion. Use this to help you create the contract for your next event!
Offering a photo booth as part of your studio's service? This sample will help you create the contract that's right for you!
This sample drone contract rider can be inserted into your event photography agreement.
A commercial photography contract is for images being used for selling or promoting a business, or entity. Since these images are going to be used for commercial gain, it is important to have clauses that state how the images can be used, potentially for how long, and if they can be edited. A commercial photography contract can have a licensing agreement blended into it. Depending on the client’s needs, the contract may include a copyright transfer instead of a licensing agreement.
A release of all claims form may be included as part of a settlement agreement, which is a document agreeing to resolve the parties' differences, dismiss their claims, and release the opposing parties from liability.
A Limited Licensing Agreement for an image or group of images that allows the photographer to maintain copyright and specify where, when and how the images can be used.
This form allows a client to make other prints, including on various materials of the images they have received from the photographer. However, one key thing to keep in mind is that a print release is specifically geared to personal usage. Meaning that the images can be used on social media, on canvases and t-shirts and to certain extent be shared with family.
An independent contractor and limited licensing agreement form suitable for most types of real estate photography.
Each business carries some risk when serving its clients; however, that risk can easily be mitigated through contracts. This is why we have created a COVID-19 notice and waiver for you to use when resuming business operations according to the guidelines in your state.
A gallery exhibition sample contract.
A gallery exhibition contract rider for the return of your work.
These documents and samples are to help you work better and be more protected when working with talent and locations that require their own legal attention. This means white papers and samples of model releases and property releases:
This is a sample release that is signed by your client granting you permission to use certain photographs in one form or another. Like you have copyright protections, your client has privacy protections. For more information about Model Releases, please refer to the Model Release Whitepaper.
Similar to a Model Release, a Property Release provides photographers with permission to use photos that depict another person's property for specific purposes that are described in the release.
Have questions about when to use a model release? The best answer is: always! But, sometimes it's more complicated than that. This resource can help you learn more about laws in your state.