Photography Contract

Saptaparni Raha
Sep 25, 2022
2 min read

Written by Saptaparni Raha, Lawyer

Introduction:

A Photography Release or a Photography Contract is an agreement between the photographer and the person or property you are photographing. Nowadays, brands are hiring photographers for photos of their products. The parties, therefore, enter into the branding photography contract.

Benefits of Photography Contract:

A Photography Contract helps in determining the usage of photography for commercial purposes. If photos generate money, create sales, or promote any product, then it is necessary to have a photo release form to avoid such legal disputes.

Important Clauses:

In the Title Clause, the party's name and the general information about the parties to the contract and the nature of the contract are specified.
The following clause mentions the shoot date and the enforcement date of the contract.
In the Description of the Work Clause, the work the photographer will complete for the client, and the deadline is to be mentioned.
The Payment Clause mentions the total payment, the method of payment, any deposits the client needs to pay ahead of the project, etc.
The Cancellation and Rescheduling Clause is very important in case the shoot gets cancelled or rescheduled.
In the Release of Images Clause, the way the clients would receive the final images is discussed.
The Liability Clause mentions the consequences in case the image storage gets corrupted, or the image gets lost, and the way the photographer will handle the timeline.
A Copyright Clause enables the Photographers to retain the copyright and grant the clients the use rights.

Conclusion:

A standard Photography Contract delivers the trust and promises between the parties. Therefore, it is necessary to have a photography release contract that includes all the above-mentioned clauses.

References:

Format Team. (2019). The Ultimate Guide To Photo Release Forms. retrieved from The Ultimate Guide To Photo Release Forms (format.com)
Shruti Chaurasia. (2021). A look into the must-have clauses in branding photography contract. retrieved from A look into the must have clauses in branding photography contract - iPleaders