TheLawTog is the only dedicated legal + business resource for photographers. With practicing lawyers, business consultants, CPAs, financial planners (and more!) you’ll get information with first-hand experience to help your photography business. Working with TheLawTog you'll provide your customers with the best legal knowledge + templates on the market.

Rachel, TheLawTog®, is a actively practicing intellectual property, copyright & business lawyer. Through her firm, Eden Law, and TheLawTog® Rachel has helped thousands of photographers protect their businesses. Along with her team of legal & photography experts you will not find another team more knowledgeable on the photography industry.

TheLawTog® is owned and run by a licensed attorney, Rachel Brenke, but this website is not a law firm. If you would like 1:1 help from Rachel please reach out at her law firm -Eden Law..

Each of the different contract templates have specific provisions written for the type of photography they reference. For example: A birth or wedding photographer may want to to contract for a required break, whereas, a general portrait photographer may not necessarily need that specific provision. There are other provisions even more specific to each type so over the long-term it’s always best to have a contract that speaks to the type of photography you’re shooting with the client. 

If you work with general portraiture (or multiple types), the general portrait contract is a great place to start.

What is the law behind these contract forms?

TheLawTog®’s contract forms are drafted on general American law-based contract principles and are applicable to many states.  Due to variations in law based on location and business policies, the contracts are editable and easily adaptable.

If you are a photographer outside the US, the policies may be implemented for your business, but U.S. Federal Copyright laws and other legal theories may not apply.  For example, in the United States, unless otherwise contracted, the photographer retains copyright ownership of images. However, in other countries, the law may give the copyright ownership to the client and necessitate a provision for transfer. 

The contract templates provide a good foundation for a local attorney to amend for the laws of your country versus your attorney drafting from scratch.

It is recommended that a local attorney review your contract, including changes, for legitimacy.  You can search your state bar listings for a contracts or business attorney.  We are working to add attorneys in other countries to the list.

Why do you say I need to amend these contracts for my location?

While TheLawTog®’s contracts go through a multi-level review process after working intimately with various photographers per niche, we are unable to target in on every protection that you may want to include, plus laws can vary in different states and countries.  Try as we might, we do our best to provide a comprehensive and quality contract.

TheLawTog® receives no “kickbacks” or monies for these recommendations.  This is 100% giving back to help you get the best protection you need.

The best part of having these contract forms available is that they can provide you with a higher quality, more comprehensive and cheaper bill with a local attorney.  See examples here. Small business lawyers are a great starting line for protection, but many have never been a photographer or have run a photography business.  These forms help to fill that void.