Template guide

Photography contract template

A photography contract protects the date you hold, the images you own and the timeline you promise. These are the clauses that matter most.

What to include

1. Session details. Type, date, times, locations, coverage hours and number of edited images.
2. Retainer to reserve the date. A non-refundable retainer applied to the total, with the balance due before the session.
3. Rescheduling, weather and cancellation. One reschedule with notice, weather moves for outdoor shoots, and what happens if either side cancels.
4. Image delivery and editing. Your editing style, the delivery method (online gallery), the delivery window, and no RAW files.
5. Copyright and licence. You keep copyright; the client gets a personal-use licence. Commercial use needs permission.
6. Portfolio use and opt-out. Your right to share images, with a simple opt-out tick-box.
7. Model release. Separate permission from the people photographed for marketing use.
8. Limit of liability. If images are lost through equipment failure or events outside your control, liability is limited to fees paid.

Mistakes to avoid

• Taking a booking without a retainer
• Not stating who owns the copyright
• Promising delivery dates you can't keep in peak season
• Using client photos in ads without a release

Example wording you can adapt

Plain-English wording for the clauses people most often leave vague. Change the bracketed details to fit how you work.

Retainer. A non-refundable retainer of $[amount] reserves the date and is applied to the total. The balance is due [14] days before the session.

Copyright. The Photographer keeps copyright in all images. The Client receives a licence to print and share them for personal use. Commercial use requires written permission.

Delivery. Edited images will be delivered through an online gallery within [number] weeks. RAW files are not provided. The gallery remains available for [number] days.

Limitation. If images are lost or cannot be delivered because of equipment failure or events outside the Photographer's control, liability is limited to the fees paid.

Setting up the booking process

Send the questionnaire and contract together, and treat the date as open until both the signature and the retainer arrive. Saying that plainly in your email is usually enough to speed up a slow decision, and it stops you from holding a popular date for free.

Match delivery windows to your busiest season rather than your quietest month. A promise you can always keep is worth more to clients than a faster one you occasionally miss.

Keep portfolio permission separate from the model release. A simple tick-box covers sharing on your own channels, while paid advertising or third-party marketing calls for a release signed by the people in the photos.

Skip the blank page

Every point above is already written into our template, with highlighted fields to fill in and a PDF copy to send. Edit it in Word, Google Docs or Pages.

Questions

Should a photography retainer be non-refundable?

Most photographers make it non-refundable because it reserves a date you then turn other clients away for. State it clearly in the contract.

Who owns the copyright to photos?

Usually the photographer. Clients receive a licence to use the images, typically for personal use unless agreed otherwise.

Do I need a model release?

If you want to use images of people in marketing or advertising, get a signed release. The kit includes one with tick-box permissions.

Does it work for weddings and portraits?

Yes. The templates have placeholders for any session type, from mini sessions to full wedding coverage.

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Templates are a starting point, not legal advice; laws vary by location. Digital products: all sales are final; faulty file? Email hello@dojo.design and we’ll fix it or refund you.