As with everything in business, you learn a lot of things as you go! Do you guys remember the first time you made a contract for your business? If you were smart, you purchased a photography one somewhere (preferably from a lawyer), but if you're like a lot of us, you probably started with a VERY basic contract template, and have added to it over the years. In this episode we'll be discussing our contracts: what they contain, what we've had to add over the years, and why they're important!

Key Takeaways

1. Portrait contracts are JUST as important as Wedding contracts. Recently in a group of ours, a bunch of photographers were having a conversation about whether or not portrait clients need contracts. The answer is 100% a resounding YES! Absolutely every single shoot you do should have a contract to go with it! This protects you, your client, EVERYTHING. So important!
2. Sticking to the contract. This part is up to you. You can be as harsh or as easy going as you want with your contract once it's in place. For example, if you have a punctuality clause that states that your shoot begins at X time and ends at X time whether or not client shows up on time, and client shows up 15 minutes late, it's your call whether or not to honor that clause or to just tack on 15 minutes at the "end" of the shoot. This can be a struggle, because we want to appear kind, not stress the client out, etc, but at the same time, our time is valuable. Having a contract in place gives you protection so if you do decide to enforce your rules, nobody can complain. It also ensures that clients go into the shoot knowing what's to be expected of both parties, which can help prevent miscommunication issues.
3. Things we've added:
   1. Drunk wedding guest/couple clauses
   2. Punctuality clauses
   3. Weather clauses
   4. Photo selection timeframe
   5. Album selection timeframe
   6. Wedding vendor meal inclusion

Relevant Links:

• Ashley DuChene
• Kate Mills
• Julie Ferneau

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