As a photographer, you need to learn many different things and become a “jack of all trades.” Like it or not, that’s the way it is. Yes, you need to be proficient at photography, learn how to use the equipment, adjust your camera settings, position yourself, and all that good stuff.
However, as a professional photographer, you also need to be business-savvy. One of the things many photographers forget is the photography contract. It’s an important piece that will make your work a lot easier and help you avoid different kinds of issues.
What is a Photography Contract?
A photography contract is a business contract like any other. It outlines what both parties have agreed to. In most cases, it holds information about what you as a service provider obligate yourself to do and how much the client is going to pay for your services, and under what conditions.
Of course, there are many different variations of contracts depending on the type of photography work and clients. That’s why it’s important to find a template that suits your needs. On top of that, it lets you set yourself apart from your competition.
Find a Site That Offers Template Customization
The best way to find the right template for your photography contract is to look for it online. There are lots of sites such as HoneyBook that have a rich database of photography contract templates. Why waste time on making your own template from scratch when you can find a perfect one quickly.
It’s much easier to customize a template that’s near-perfect rather than designing it from the beginning. These sites also let you quickly change any information or columns based on the type of job and client requirements.
Consider Your Branding
Each photographer needs to build their personal brand. There’s so much competition out there and branding is the best weapon to stand out and make clients notice you. One of the best ways to do this is through your visuals.
Your brand’s visual identity will make you stand out and convey a message. Your contract should contain your theme, colors, imagery, and your logo. All these things will make everyone know who did their photos and they will remember you.
Think About Clients
The contract is not there only because of you – it’s also there for your clients. As a photographer, you need to showcase professionalism and trust. When you hand out a contract to your clients they will feel assured that you will deliver what you’ve promised.
The photography contract template should include thorough information about what kind of services you will provide, by what time, and for what price. Customers are always reserved when talking to artists because they know they can be unreliable. Prove them wrong with everything laid out in front of them.
Protect Yourself and Your Work
One of the common issues photographers have is that clients think that they own their work. Just because you know that your photos are your intellectual property doesn’t mean that clients know this too. Naturally, you don’t want anyone to use your work or not give credit when they should.
To avoid this, make sure to include a section where you outline that you reserve all the rights to the imagery you provided. At the same time, make customers comply that they agree to this and obligate themselves not to use photos as their own for any commercial purposes.
Make Everything Crystal Clear
Your photography contract should contain all of the important information. However, it should be written and designed in a minimalist way. Keep it short and to the point. Make all of the details crystal clear and leave no room for misunderstanding.
After all, communicating ideas and services between photographers and clients isn’t a simple process. There’s a lot of room for misunderstandings when people talk about abstract concepts or their creative ideas. When you have all the key points on paper you won’t get in a situation where either of the parties involved is unsatisfied.
Conclusion
If you want to be a real pro make sure to create your own photography contract. It will save you a lot of time and prevent many issues that come along the way.
Featured image by rawpixel.com form PxHere.