West Coast Wedding Photographer Agreement Example And Important Info

Below I have copy and pasted an example contract for wedding photography in the past. Keep in mind that some info may change depending on the package, location, if you are receiving a discount, etc. To view a contract specifically for your wedding, please contact April Payton Photography.

This agreement is between (Client name 1), (Client Name 2), AND April Payton Photography.

Wedding date: ______________

Location: ________________

Total Amount agreed: $2,000

Retainer fee due at booking: $800

Travel Fee: $0

Total Due 30 days before event: $1,200

The Retainer fee is due on signing this agreement (Retainer Fee is Booking Fee is $800, with the remaining balance (1,200) due 30 days before the day of the wedding.) If the payment is not received by 30 days before the wedding, you will lose your retainer fee and date. If the clients cancel after the full balance has been paid there will be no refund of any kind. The photographer will consider this as liquidated damages. However, the total amount agreed minus the retainer fee can still be applied to any event in the future. A second retainer fee will be required to hold the new date and there may be an additional fee if the location changes or April Payton Photography's prices change.

The clients understand that if the wedding/reception location changes, the photographer is not required to perform the services, unless the new location is within a reasonable distance of the original location. The photographer may still perform the services if she is able and with an appropriate travel fee. Be sure to contact the photographer asap if the location changes for any reason and ask what the travel fee may be for your new location. If the photographer is not able to shoot at the new location, for any reason, the retainer fee is non-refundable.

The clients understand it is required to provide a meal during the reception for both the photographer and second shooter if the photography coverage exceeds 7 hours. The two photographers will rotate so that someone is shooting at all times. The main photographer will eat first and will jump in line behind the bridal party, quickly eat, and get back to work.

Confirmation: Assigned wedding contract and payment of the booking fee are necessary to confirm the

Cooperation: The Clients and the Photographer consent to happily cooperating and communicating with each other to achieve the best possible result within the understanding of this contract. We recommend that the Photographer be provided with a helper (usually the best man) who will point out key individuals to be photographed. The Photographer may also require the assistance of the best man or maid of honor in organizing family groups. The Clients also agree to give the Photographer sufficient warning of key events at the wedding to give the Photographer time to prepare e.g. Bouquet throwing, cutting the cake, speeches etc. Please note that not all guests at weddings like having their photo taken. In such cases the Photographer will use her discretion but cannot be held responsible for a lack of photos of these people.

The clients also understand that harassment and or extreme poor treatment of the photographer or second shooter will not be tolerated from the bride, groom, family, or guests. There is a 3 warning rule. After the 3rd warning, the photographer and second shooter will leave the property and you will not receive any sort of refund. You will still receive the edited digital photos up to the point of the 3rd warning. It is the photographers goal to have a good time and capture the beautiful moments of the day. We just ask to be treated fairly. Keep in mind, the photographer has never had to pack up and leave a wedding due to harassment, nor has she come close to doing so. This is simply set in place to prevent unfairness if it ever arises.

The client is not required to follow the recommendations of the photographer when planning the wedding day schedule, setup, etc. but should take recommendations into consideration as the photographer and second shooter have shot many weddings and most recommendations can be crucial to image quality, quantity, etc.

The Schedule: r shooting schedule, style of working and experience are designed to achieve a great set of wedding photos for the Clients, accomplished with good humour and enjoyed by all concerned. Both the Clients and the Photographers therefore agree that punctuality and cheerful cooperation are essential to producing outstanding photographic results. In cases where the wedding does not run on time (for example, extreme lateness by one of the Clients arriving to the location) we cannot guarantee to take our normal set of photos although in such circumstances we will do our absolute best to compensate.

What's Included: The photographer will spend a continuous 8 hours photographing the event. You will receive your edited digital images through an online gallery where you and the entire family may download, share, and print. You are not required to purchase prints from the photographer. The print rights are released for personal use and printing.

It can take up to 6 weeks to edit all of the photos. The photos will be chosen at the photographers discretion. There is no guaranteed number of digital images that will be received. Typically the photographer averages about 400-700 edited digital images depending on the volume of photo taking and length of the day.

Also included is a COMPLIMENTARY one hour day after session with the bride and groom. This complimentary feature is in place so that the bride and groom may spend more time with their guests on their wedding day but still be able to get the intimate and romantic bride/groom portraits. This session is recommended to be scheduled at the golden hour (1-1.5 hours before sunset) for the best quality. If the bride and groom choose not to use this complimentary session, it can not be added to the wedding day, unless the clients and photographers both leave the wedding/reception for one full hour to shoot at sunset. This must be planned and discussed before the photographers have booked their trip to your wedding location. This one hour session will include roughly 30-40 edited digital images with printing rights.

A second photographer/assistant is scheduled to be at the wedding to help the main photographer, but in the result that the second photographer backs out or becomes too ill to photograph the wedding or a part of the wedding, the photographer and second shooter will not be held responsible and there is not any sort of a refund for the second shooter fee, as there is not a second shooter fee to begin with. The second shooter is a free courtesy to you by the main photographer. In most cases, the assistant will be a second shooter during the ceremony and only assist the rest of the day. Some cases, the main photographer will require that the assistant does not shoot during the ceremony and only assists with lighting. This is usually only the case if the ceremony is indoors and or in a very tight/small area where the main photographer may be limited.

Paparazzi Wedding Guest: All your guests will have digital cameras and all your guests will want to photograph the Clients. This does not mean you need to have an "unplugged" wedding. It is simply recommended that the guests should be reminded to be courteous of the photographers and their space. We cannot be held liable for a lack of wedding photos if guests taking their own photos of the Clients continually interrupt the Photographer's work.

House Rules: Note the Photographers are sometimes limited by rules imposed by registrars, ministers and venue management as to what can and cannot be done. For example some ministers insist that no flash photography is allowed, and others will insist that the Photographers shoot from a specific location. In such circumstances the Clients agree to accept the technical limitations that may be imposed on the equipment used. We advise the Clients to make themselves aware of the rules of the venue concerned and if necessary negotiate with the personnel concerned.

Independent Contractor: Note that the photographer does not work for anyone and you are not hiring/paying for a product. You are hiring an independent contractor and an artist. The photographer will shoot, choose, and edit photos to her liking. There is a no refund policy for those who are not happy with their photos. The photographer will always do her best and perform the services promised.

Copyright Law: The copyright of photographs remains with the Photographer. The Photographer grants the Clients permission to make copies of the images under the following conditions. The images taken by the Photographer are for personal use by the Clients and their friends and relatives. Sale, Publication or any Commercial use of the photographs is not allowed without prior written permission from the Photographer.

Model Release: The Clients grant the Photographer and its legal representatives, heirs and assigns, the irrevocable and unlimited consent to use the photographs of the Clients for editorial, competition, advertising and any other purpose and in any manner, to alter the photographs without restriction; and to copyright the images. The Clients hereby release the Photographer and its legal representatives, heirs and assigns from all liability and claims in connection with the images.

Digital Images: The clients understand that the photographer is not required to keep the images for more than 30 days after you have received your digital iamges. Please be sure to back up your images to a hard drive. Flash drives, CDs, etc, are not recommended as they can be easily misplaced.

Limit of Liability: If a photographer is too ill or becomes injured and cannot supply the wedding services specified above the Photographer will try to book a replacement wedding photographer. Under normal circumstances a second photographer is there for the day anyway and this photographer will then shoot the day on his/her own. If both photographers are unavailable and a replacement photographer cannot be found then liability is limited to a refund of any payments received. The Photographers have working methods in place to prevent loss or damage to your images. However, there is the unlikely possibility that images may be lost, stolen or destroyed for reasons in or beyond our control. In these circumstances liability is limited to the return of fees paid for the service or part thereof according to the percentage of images supplied. If for any reason you bring the photographer to court, you understand that the court hearings must be held in the Missoula MT.

Retainer Fee: n the event of the Clients cancelling the wedding for whatever reason the retainer fee is non­refundable. It will be considered as liquidated damages to the Photographers.

Please sign if you have understood the contents of this contract and agree to the terms therein.

Client Signature:  _____________________________________________

Date: __________________________

Photographer’s Signature: __________________________________________

Date: _________________________