So I have an oral agreement from someone to have me photograph their wedding this summer...my first one. (And it's not like the one Im doing for a friend this spring for free.) My question to all of you is this. What exactly do I need now to seal the deal? Do I need a contract? Model releases? I know I should probably Google, but thought a few simple steps to point me in the right direction, would be easier to get me started. Sometimes the interwebs can be full of too much, complicated information.
Get some kind of contract and have it all signed before you step foot in their wedding. "Trade for" contracts may work and specify usage of images in your portfolio.
The first wedding I did, the bride (years later) tried to claim all the images I took as hers and that no one had the right to use them. Thankfully I held onto the contract that stated it was a "trade for" and that I retained all copyrights to the images.
Location insurance is critical, and while you're at it, look onto all perils insurance to cover your gear. Get a model release app for your phone, and get your assistant to run around with it, promising each model a copy of their photo. Don't even think about shooting a wedding without an assistant.
Also a limitation of liability clause in the contract, and liability insurance -- many, many wedding photographers have been sued for missing a 'key moment'.
You don't need a model release if you are simply taking photos that you will sell to the attendees. You *probably* don't need a model release if you want to include those photos in your portfolio. You absolutely *do* need a model release if you use a photo to advertise your business (e.g. an advert in a magazine). If you can get a model release without causing too many questions to be asked, it will give you a lot more flexibility in the long run.
Remember that I, and probably very few others on here, are lawyers -- you should always get proper legal advice when it comes to things like contracts.
However, depending on where you live and how you operate, this may or may not be enforceable -- you may need to operate as a limited liability company to get the benefits of such a clause. This is why you really need a lawyer who understands the law where you are, rather than a bunch of uninformed Internet forum posters ;)
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The first wedding I did, the bride (years later) tried to claim all the images I took as hers and that no one had the right to use them. Thankfully I held onto the contract that stated it was a "trade for" and that I retained all copyrights to the images.
from the ones I've looked at, a written contract seems a "must"
You don't need a model release if you are simply taking photos that you will sell to the attendees. You *probably* don't need a model release if you want to include those photos in your portfolio. You absolutely *do* need a model release if you use a photo to advertise your business (e.g. an advert in a magazine). If you can get a model release without causing too many questions to be asked, it will give you a lot more flexibility in the long run.
Remember that I, and probably very few others on here, are lawyers -- you should always get proper legal advice when it comes to things like contracts.
http://www.vaughterweddings.com/content/contract.pdf
(See page 2, clause 4)
However, depending on where you live and how you operate, this may or may not be enforceable -- you may need to operate as a limited liability company to get the benefits of such a clause. This is why you really need a lawyer who understands the law where you are, rather than a bunch of uninformed Internet forum posters ;)