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What to Include in Your Wedding Photography Contract

A well-drafted wedding photography contract is critical to protect yourself and your clients. It will clearly state the scope of your services and include a timeline for delivery of digital files.

It should also cover copyright and specify whether you retain or transfer ownership to your clients. This can prevent legal disputes later on.

Scope of Services

A contract with a wedding client is an important document for both parties. It ensures that all of the details and services agreed upon by both sides are outlined clearly in case there is any legal issue down the road.

These include stipulations regarding payment, timelines and delivery of photos. It’s also important to include a non-disparagement clause, so the client can’t negatively affect your reputation or business in public.

A wedding photographer’s contract should also include the addresses of all locations where they will be shooting. This helps the clients understand where they should be at each point of the shoot. It also lets the photographers know if there are any issues that may prevent them from shooting at a certain location. For example, if the venue is too dark to take quality photos.

Fees

Specify the total price for your services, and be sure to include exactly what that includes (i.e. digital files, prints, albums etc). It’s also a good idea to put in a deposit amount and an estimated date by which the client will receive their final photos.

Consider including a kill fee clause in your contract, which stipulates that you will get paid for the full amount of time spent photographing their wedding if they cancel within a certain number of days of the day itself. You might also want to include a copyright section, which specifies who owns the photos and any stipulations around sharing them on social media or other platforms.

Finally, consider adding in a food allergy and dietary restrictions section. This is one of the most common reasons that photographers have to reschedule shoots, and it’s an important thing for clients to know in advance.

Cancellation Policy

A wedding photography contract needs to include a clause that covers mutual cancellation. This protects both parties in case there is some type of communication issue, or if circumstances change and the photographer cannot continue with the photoshoot.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, countless photographers had clients cancel their event. The photographer could then invoke their cancellation policy and keep the deposit.

Also, the photography contract should include a section that details who will own and have rights to the photos. This will help avoid any confusion on the day of the wedding. This should be clear and concise, so there is no room for misunderstandings. This will be especially important if the photographer plans on using the images for promotional purposes, or to display them on social media.

Refund Policy

A well-thought-out refund policy can help set your clients at ease and make for a smoother experience. Depending on the terms of your contract, this may include information like:

Another important section to include is one that covers liability. This is where you stipulate the limits of your liability in case something goes wrong - such as acts of God, extreme illness of the photographer, venue-related issues, equipment malfunction, onsite property damage etc.

Finally, be sure to add a copyright and usage statement. This specifies where your clients can share their photos and how they can use them - such as online and in print. It's also a good idea to add a general model release, which gives your photographers sweeping permission to use their client's images for advertising, website promotion, promotional materials and photographic contests.

Model Release

A model release form is an essential component of any wedding photography contract. It grants permission to use a person’s image or likeness for commercial purposes and helps protect photographers from legal repercussions should someone not be happy with how their photo is used.

It is also important to include a copyright section in your wedding photography contracts. This includes stipulations about where the photos can be posted (i.e., social media), as well as whether they can be used for promotional purposes or submitted to magazines or websites without the photographer’s consent.

A non-disparagement clause is another common part of wedding photography contracts. This prevents clients from using negative comments about the photographer in the future. This is a great way to prevent a client from taking advantage of you or your work.