What is the importance of creating photography contract when doing photo shoot for any purpose either personal or commercial? Actually, it is advisable to use contract because it will relate to intellectual property and privacy. The person who is taken the pictures must be protected the privacy and he or she has full of extent to own the photos. For the photographer, every picture he or she takes is intellectual property as the result of his or her work. Photography is under the copyright law in which any result of this work will have legal consequences is any illegal distribution or use.

Purpose of Photography Contract
When you hire a professional to capture your special occasion, you are suggested to use the legal document to underline your expectations in matters of photo taking method, when the printed photos are delivered, the rights to distribute or use for other purpose whether for personal use or it is allowed to use for commercial by the photographer. If you are a photographer and you have client to serve, then you need to have this contract to provide professionalism as well as protect your rights and ensure your obligation to perform your job. Technically, the contract will be a legal document to protect the purpose of both parties related to the photography matter.
The alternate terms can be used to call this document like photo contract or photographer contract agreement. Contract makes formality and clearance towards the undertaken project as well as showing professionalism. It does not matter when you work for service, for your close friends or relatives, you will need to create this contract. Other side, if you are the one who use someone’s skill or you are the clients, the importance of crating photo contract is for protecting your properties and privacy from unauthorized distribution.
Points included in Photography Contract
When it can always put in more details depends on the necessity, there are main points in creating photography contract that should be available in the written document.
• General information
• Hours of work
• Price
• Payment terms
• Deliverable products
• Due date of delivery and period
• Right of distribution and usage of the result in long term
• Other photographers policies
• Failure to comply points
• Mutual consideration
If you think that there must be several others points that also important to add, you can always add it and between two parties must agree with the points. Below is a Photography Contract Template you can use as your reference to create your own contract. You just need Microsoft Word to read this file.
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