Help with Contracts/Releases

[Cortney]

Hey All,
Thanks in advance for reading and all the great advise I know I'll get from all you pro's!

I am in process of starting my portfolio. I have long been taking pictures for family. It has slowly developed into a passion, and I would like to spend more time on my hobby and eventually work towards making more of a career out of it.. someday..

That being said I am taking some Maternity photo's, and eventually Newborn photos for a coworker of my husband. She had seen some photo's I'd taken of our niece and nephew and asked my Husband if I would take some of her, and he quickly volunteered me. I am not charging her for the session, and am going to upload her pictures to SmugMug so she can order the photo's from there. I do want to be able to control the quality of the images she'll be showing people.

My question is this, Should I have a contract for her to sign, and will I need a release to eventually use her photo's in my portfolio and on my eventual website?

If so does anyone have a sample that they would be willing to share with me. I have found some sample wedding contracts, but I don't think I will need something that formal..

Thanks!!
Cortney

 

[waynegz1]

I would still fill out a contract, thats just me.

Photo Book Review – Business and Legal Forms for Photographers Photofocus

This will somewhat paint out a road map for you, at least it did for me. It should come with a disc that allows you to alter the documents the way you see fit.

Cheers.

 

[KmH]

Tad Crawford's book has a lot of good information in it and as mentioned having iall the contracts on CD is very handy: Business and Legal Forms for Photographers, 4th Edition (Business & Legal Forms for Photographers).

Model release law varies by state and is not quite as cut a died as contract law, so you might also want to get and keep handy as reference A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases: Making the Best Business Decisions with Your Photos of People, Places and Things.

 

[orljustin]

"photos", not "photo's" .

This is like your first person you're taking pics for outside of your family. Why don't you just ask her if it is ok to put them on your site as "portfolio" pieces?

 

[KmH]

"photos", not "photo's" .

Why don't you just ask her if it is ok to put them on your site as "portfolio" pieces?

Because people often change their minds, and or have no moral problem lying their ass off at a later date.

Their signature on a contract and/or model release keeps the BS to a minimum.

 

[Cortney]

Thanks for all the advise, I just made up a model release and had her sign that!