Free Resources / Freelance Contracts / Photographer

Photographer Contract Template

For freelance photographers doing commercial, brand, and editorial work. Image licensing is the clause that separates a fair deal from a bad one, and most photographers send invoices without any contract at all.

The most expensive mistake photographers make: shooting a full campaign for a flat fee with no usage rights clause, then watching those images run in national print advertising for two years. The second most expensive: delivering a full gallery and being asked for the RAW files because "we just want them for our records." This contract defines exactly what the client is buying and what stays yours.

What's included

• Scope of shoot: date, location, duration, subject matter, number of final delivered images, and any specific shots required
• Retouching and editing: how many images receive full retouching, what retouching includes, and what requires an additional fee
• RAW file policy: raw, unedited files are not delivered unless separately quoted and agreed in writing
• Image licensing: exactly what the client can do with the images, on which platforms, for how long, and in what context (organic, paid ads, print, out-of-home)
• Commercial vs. editorial use: separate licensing terms for each, with fee structures
• Exclusivity: whether you're restricted from licensing similar images to competitors, and for how long
• Model and property releases: who is responsible for obtaining and retaining signed releases
• Expenses: travel, accommodation, equipment rental, and assistants billed separately unless included in the quoted fee
• Payment terms: deposit to secure the date, balance due on delivery
• Kill fee: what you're owed if the shoot is cancelled after booking
• IP ownership: all images remain Contractor's property until paid in full; copyright is retained by Contractor unless expressly transferred

For more on how freelance contracts work and what to watch for, read the guide to freelance contracts.

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