Basics of a Photography Contract
Any provider of services, especially those that aren’t provided immediately at the time of hire should have a binding photography contract outlining the terms of both your and your client’s expectations. Outlining the terms of the relationship not only protects both parties but it ensures that you get paid and can collect if there is a problem. Most importantly for the growth of your business, taking out the element of surprise results in a satisfying experience. Happy clients are happy to refer your services. What is a contract? A contract is an agreement with specific terms between 2 or more persons or entities (parties) where there is a promise to do something (performance) in exchange for something of value (consideration). What should be in a photography contract? The 5 Ws and 1 H, or 6 Ws, we learned in high school English. (I went to an international school abroad but I’m sure we learned the same things.) Who, what, when, where, why, how. If you are a wedding photographer, the “why” would likely be obvious so we’ll focus on … Continue reading
10 Business Events that Should Trigger a Call to Your Lawyer
As an owner of a small business, I understand the external demands faced by small and medium-sized business owners. Sometimes we think we can do it all . . . until we realize that we can’t. At some point, a business owner wonders “when should I contact a lawyer?” Unfortunately, many businesses wait until a problem that would have cost a few hundred dollars to fix turns into a $10,000 problem before finding a lawyer. Here is a list of when to call a lawyer for a quick consultation. As Desiderius Erasmus said, “prevention is better than cure.” This is not an exhaustive list and the prevention is not absolute ,but at the very least, it will minimize your potential risks. 1. Before hiring your first employee The Prevention: Violations of federal and California anti-discrimination laws; Misclassification of exempt and non-exempt employees; Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and California laws on backgrounds checks and consumer reports; and Violations of federal and California employment laws on overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, and pay stub violations. 2. Before firing an employee … Continue reading