Photography Client Agreement Form

Fully editable with custom branding. Send, print or embed online.

Photography Client Agreement Form

Fully editable with custom branding. Send, print or embed online.

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First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.
First Name
Last Name
Acme LLC.
Client
First Name
Last Name
Corporation Corp.

Photography Client Agreement Form

Fully editable with custom branding. Send, print or embed online.

Photography Client Agreement Form

Fully editable with custom branding. Send, print or embed online.

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Date: March 8th 2023


Between:

Coach:

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client:

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.

This Contract is between Client (the "Client") and Acme LLC, a California limited liability company (the "Coach").

The Contract is dated January 23, 2023.

1. WORK AND PAYMENT.

1.1 Project. The Client is hiring the Coach to develop a coaching relationship between the Client and Coach in order to cultivate the Client's personal, professional, or business goals and create a plan to achieve those goals through stimulating and creative interactions with the ultimate result of maximizing the Client's personal or professional potential.

1.2 Schedule. The Coach will begin work on February 1, 2023 and will continue until the work is completed. This Contract can be ended by either Client or Coach at any time, pursuant to the terms of Section 4, Term and Termination.

The Coach and Client will meet by video conference, 4 days per month for 2 hours.

1.3 Payment. The Client will pay the Coach an hourly rate of $150. Of this, the Client will pay the Coach $500.00 (USD) before work begins.

1.4 Expenses. The Client will reimburse the Coach's expenses. Expenses do not need to be pre-approved by the Client.

1.5 Invoices. The Coach will invoice the Client in accordance with the milestones in Section 1.3. The Client agrees to pay the amount owed within 15 days of receiving the invoice. Payment after that date will incur a late fee of 1.0% per month on the outstanding amount.

1.6 Support. The Coach will not be available by telephone, or email in between scheduled sessions.

2.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

- A coaching relationship is a partnership between two or more individuals or entities, like a teacher-student or coach-athlete relationship. Both the Client and Coach must uphold their obligations for the relationship to be successful.

- The Coach agrees to maintain the ethics and standards of behavior established by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

- The Client acknowledges and agrees that coaching is a comprehensive process that may explore different areas of the Client's life, including work, finances, health, and relationships.

- The Client is responsible for implementing the insights and techniques learned from the Coach.

3. REPRESENTATIONS.

3.1 Overview. This section contains important promises between the parties.

3.2 Authority To Sign. Each party promises to the other party that it has the authority to enter into this Contract and to perform all of its obligations under this Contract.

3.3 Coach Has Right To Give Client Work Product. The Coach promises that it owns the work product, that the Coach is able to give the work product to the Client, and that no other party will claim that it owns the work product. If the Coach uses employees or subcontractors, the Coach also promises that these employees and subcontractors have signed contracts with the Coach giving the Coach any rights that the employees or subcontractors have related to the Coach's background IP and work product.

3.4 Coach Will Comply With Laws. The Coach promises that the manner it does this job, its work product, and any background IP it uses comply with applicable U.S. and foreign laws and regulations.

3.5 Work Product Does Not Infringe. The Coach promises that its work product does not and will not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights, that the Coach has the right to let the Client use the background IP, and that this Contract does not and will not violate any contract that the Coach has entered into or will enter into with someone else.

3.7 Client-Supplied Material Does Not Infringe. If the Client provides the Coach with material to incorporate into the work product, the Client promises that this material does not infringe on someone else's intellectual property rights.

4. TERM AND TERMINATION

This Contract is ongoing until it expires or the work is completed. Either party may end this Contract for any reason by sending an email or letter to the other party, informing the recipient that the sender is ending the Contract and that the Contract will end in 7 days. The Contract officially ends once that time has passed. The party that is ending the Contract must provide notice by taking the steps explained in Section 9.4. The Coach must immediately stop working as soon as it receives this notice unless the notice says otherwise.

If either party ends this Contract before the Contract automatically ends, the Client will pay the Contractor for the work done up until when the Contract ends. The following sections don't end even after the Contract ends: 3 (Representations); 6 (Confidential Information); 7 (Limitation of Liability); 8 (Indemnity); and 9 (General).

3. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.

The Client is hiring the Coach as an independent contractor. The following statements accurately reflect their relationship:

- The Coach will use its own equipment, tools, and material to do the work.

- The Client will not control how the job is performed on a day-to-day basis. Rather, the Coach is responsible for determining when, where, and how it will carry out the work.

- The Client will not provide the Coach with any training.

- The Client and the Coach do not have a partnership or employer-employee relationship.

- The Coach cannot enter into contracts, make promises, or act on behalf of the Client.

- The Coach is not entitled to the Client's benefits (e.g., group insurance, retirement benefits, retirement plans, vacation days).

- The Coach is responsible for its own taxes.

- The Client will not withhold social security and Medicare taxes or make payments for disability insurance, unemployment insurance, or workers compensation for the Coach or any of the Coach's employees or subcontractors.

6. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

6.1 Overview. This Contract imposes special restrictions on how the Client and the Coach must handle confidential information. These obligations are explained in this section.

6.2 The Client's Confidential Information. While working for the Client, the Coach may come across, or be given, Client information that is confidential. This is information like customer lists, business strategies, research & development notes, statistics about a website, and other information that is private. The Coach promises to treat this information as if it is the Coach's own confidential information. The Coach may use this information to do its job under this Contract, but not for anything else. For example, if the Client lets the Coach use a customer list to send out a newsletter, the Coach cannot use those email addresses for any other purpose. The one exception to this is if the Client gives the Coach written permission to use the information for another purpose, the Coach may use the information for that purpose, as well. When this Contract ends, the Coach must give back or destroy all confidential information, and confirm that it has done so. The Coach promises that it will not share confidential information with a third party, unless the Client gives the Coach written permission first. The Coach must continue to follow these obligations, even after the Contract ends. The Coach's responsibilities only stop if the Coach can show any of the following: (i) that the information was already public when the Coach came across it; (ii) the information became public after the Coach came across it, but not because of anything the Coach did or didn't do; (iii) the Coach already knew the information when the Coach came across it and the Coach didn't have any obligation to keep it secret; (iv) a third party provided the Coach with the information without requiring that the Coach keep it a secret; or (v) the Coach created the information on its own, without using anything belonging to the Client.

6.3 Third-Party Confidential Information. It's possible the Client and the Coach each have access to confidential information that belongs to third parties. The Client and the Coach each promise that it will not share with the other party confidential information that belongs to third parties, unless it is allowed to do so. If the Client or the Coach is allowed to share confidential information with the other party and does so, the sharing party promises to tell the other party in writing of any special restrictions regarding that information.

7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

Neither party is liable for breach-of-contract damages that the breaching party could not reasonably have foreseen when it entered this Contract.

8. INDEMNITY.

8.1 Overview. This section transfers certain risks between the parties if a third party sues or goes after the Client or the Coach or both. For example, if the Client gets sued for something that the Coach did, then the Coach may promise to come to the Client's defense or to reimburse the Client for any losses.

8.2 Client Indemnity. In this Contract, the Coach agrees to indemnify the Client (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against all liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of: (i) the work the Coach has done under this Contract; (ii) a breach by the Coach of its obligations under this Contract; or (iii) a breach by the Coach of the promises it is making in Section 3 (Representations).

8.3 Coach Indemnity. In this Contract, the Client agrees to indemnify the Coach (and its affiliates and their directors, officers, employees, and agents) from and against liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) related to a third-party claim or proceeding arising out of a breach by the Client of its obligations under this Contract.

9. GENERAL.

9.1 Assignment​. This Contract applies only to the Client and the Coach. Neither the Client nor the Coach can assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Contract to a third-party (other than by will or intestate), without first receiving the other's written permission.

9.2 Arbitration. As the exclusive means of initiating adversarial proceedings to resolve any dispute arising under this Contract, a party may demand that the dispute be resolved by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its commercial arbitration rules.

9.3 Modification; Waiver. To change anything in this Contract, the Client and the Coach must agree to that change in writing and sign a document showing their contract. Neither party can waive its rights under this Contract or release the other party from its obligations under this Contract, unless the waiving party acknowledges it is doing so in writing and signs a document that says so.

9.4. Noticies.

(a) Over the course of this Contract, one party may need to send a notice to the other party. For the notice to be valid, it must be in writing and delivered in one of the following ways: personal delivery, email, or certified or registered mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested). The notice must be delivered to the party's address listed at the end of this Contract or to another address that the party has provided in writing as an appropriate address to receive notice.

(b) The timing of when a notice is received can be very important. To avoid confusion, a valid notice is considered received as follows: (i) if delivered personally, it is considered received immediately; (ii) if delivered by email, it is considered received upon acknowledgement of receipt; (iii) if delivered by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested), it is considered received upon receipt as indicated by the date on the signed receipt. If a party refuses to accept notice or if notice cannot be delivered because of a change in address for which no notice was given, then it is considered received when the notice is rejected or unable to be delivered. If the notice is received after 5:00pm on a business day at the location specified in the address for that party, or on a day that is not a business day, then the notice is considered received at 9:00am on the next business day.

9.5 Severability. This section deals with what happens if a portion of the Contract is found to be unenforceable. If that's the case, the unenforceable portion will be changed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, unless that change is not permitted by law, in which case the portion will be disregarded. If any portion of the Contract is changed or disregarded because it is unenforceable, the rest of the Contract is still enforceable.

9.6 Signatures. The Client and the Coach must sign this document using Bonsai's e-signing system. These electronic signatures count as originals for all purposes.

9.7 Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this document shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America.

9.8 Entire Contract. This Contract represents the parties' final and complete understanding of this job and the subject matter discussed in this Contract. This Contract supersedes all other contracts (both written and oral) between the parties.

THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE TO THE FOREGOING AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR SIGNATURES BELOW.

Coach

First_name
Last_name
Acme LLC.
Client

First_name
Last_name
Corporation Corp.
Table of contents

Whether you are just getting your first photography clients, or you have been in business for a while, a photography client agreement form is an essential document to incorporate to your onboarding process. This contract ensures that both the photographer and clients are aware of their responsibilities, clarifies the expected compensations and limits future conflicts by creating a shared understanding of services to be provided.

Furthermore, a photography client agreement helps to keep you and your work legally protected by setting clear expectations for the work relationship. To help you draft your own agreement, we will go over some of the most important elements you must make sure to cover every time.

Note: Take your photography business to the next level using Bonsai’s all-in-one product suite. Our administrative tools help streamline your processes from client onboarding to invoicing, payments, taxes, accounting and much more! Claim your 7-day free trial today.

Essential Elements to Include in Your Photography Contract

While the specific elements you cover on your agreement form might vary depending on the type of photography services you offer, there are certain aspects that must not be missing. You can use these to outline a generic photography contract template and make changes as you need them. Remember this is a legally binding agreement so you must pay close attention to detail as any omission or error can result in legal ramifications.

Here's what you should cover.

Contact Information

Begin your photography contract (client agreement form), with a section for both your and your client's contact details. This includes full name (and business name if applicable), email address, phone number, and billing/physical address. This is a legal document, so all parties in the agreement must be identified in this section. 

Scope of Services

It's crucial that your contract clearly outlines the range of the photography services you'll be offering, as well as a timeline. This is to ensure everyone involved is aware of what, when, where, and how. Specify the start and end dates of the services, what content you'll be shooting, a timeline explaining when you'll have the images delivered to your client, and even the specific images you will be taking.

Include the amount of photographs you'll offer, the conditions under which the images are chosen, and the image format, as well as any specifications like photo books, sizes, and print quantities.

Pricing & Payment Terms

Next, your photographer contract should clearly state the costs associated with the services you'll be delivering including a breakdown of such fees and a description of who will be responsible for paying any additional costs you might incur. Additionally, include specifications about retainers, interim payments, final payment conditions, and deposits, along with the payment schedule.

Don't forget to add all of your accepted payment methods, including checks, cash, credit/debit card payments or online payments (Stripe, PayPal, etc.), as well as what might happen if a payment is returned or a check is rejected.

Copyright & Usage Rights

It's important that your photography contracts include a section to outline your copyrights and how your clients will be allowed to use any image you provide. These may vary depending on the types of clients you have, for example, in a wedding photography contract your clients would not be allowed to use your images for commercial purposes. Commercial clients might have a different set of specifications to clearly explain how they may and may not use your images.

Model Release

Include a model release in your photography agreement (or present one separately if you wish), to obtain your client's authorization to use the images for your own commercial purposes. It's always smart to obtain this consent beforehand, even if you don't initially plan to use these shots for self-promotion.

Limit of Liability

A liability limitation clause protects you from unanticipated events like natural catastrophes, equipment malfunction, or personal illnesses. This section specifies whether you'll be sending a substitute photographer, issuing a partial or full refund, and overall, to what extent you will be held accountable for inconveniences due to circumstances out of your control.

Cancellation Policy

Last but not least, your photography agreement should include a cancellation provision that outlines the procedures that must be followed in the event that you or your customer needs to terminate the agreement. Details like the deadline for the mandatory notification and what happens if it is canceled should be included in this section.

Use Our Free Photography Contract Templates

Good news! You don’t have to create your photography contracts yourself. Skip the headache and download Bonsai’s free contract templates, which you can fully customize to add your own branding elements and change up fields to your liking. To help streamline the formalities, you can have the contract signed online by incorporating an e signature making your contract legally binding.

Whether you need a wedding, sports, editorial, portrait photography contract or anything else in between, Bonsai is your best bet! All our free contract templates have been legally reviewed by top lawyers and verified by thousands of independent professionals in your industry.

Get your contract template today, and while you’re at it, check out the endless administrative tools Bonsai has to offer. They’re free for the first 14 days!

Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about this template.

Do photographers need client permission?

The majority of photographers retain copyrights for all photos they take for clients and their own personal projects. With the help of a permission to reproduce images form, you can give clients permission to reprint, publish, and use your photos.

Can I write my own photography contract?

Of course, you can create your own contract, however, you have to be careful if they are not reviewed by lawyers. Bonsai can help you in using a professional and ready-to-use photography contract template that are looked at by attorneys..

Do I need a contract as a photographer?

Professional photographers must have a photography contract for each client. A formal agreement would protect the freelancer and the other party from any disagreements or miscommunications.