A model release form is a signed document that records a person's permission for a photographer to use photos of them. To avoid claims over how a photo is used, have this photo release form signed before or shortly after a photoshoot. To be legally binding, a model release form should be signed by a person in the photo or the owner of the property that was shot.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Sometimes a photographer thinks a signed form is not needed, for example when they do not plan to license the photos after the shoot. Plans change, though. You might later want to use a photo to advertise your photography services on your website. A release signed before the photoshoot keeps that option open.
A signed release comes in handy when you want to use a photo for:
A standard situation is taking pictures in public. A photographer can take a picture of a random person and use it for personal purposes, that is, other than commercial. It goes without saying that it is impossible to guarantee privacy to literally anyone in a public place.
However, if the photographer decides to use the photo with a stranger for advertising purposes or to gain profit in any other way, and they don’t have a model release form gained from the person captured in the photo, they might face legal issues if the person in the photo claims about the violation of their rights. This is why pictures of random people met in the street are never used in advertising materials.
Another risk for a photographer is that if a photo with a stranger is used for actions that might be considered offensive, harmful, or wrongfully portrayed, a model can file a suit against the photographer if they don’t have their signature on a photography model release form.
Private gatherings as weddings or birthday events also require a careful attitude towards taking photos. The thing is that people at such events have a right to privacy which is implied and consequently, they might have issues with being captured in photos without giving their consent.
The release of liability form is most often used in the industry of fashion or corporate photography. If a photographer gets a signed form from their model, photo materials they have taken can be used in promotional campaigns or sales, and consequently, the photographer has the right to get profit from such actions. It is relevant for both paid and unpaid photo shootings.
| Document Name | Model Release Form |
| Other Names | Photography Model Release, Model Release for Photographers |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 5 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 8 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
A model release form can be short or detailed. Beyond the names, place and date of the shoot, a detailed release often adds payment details, the planned uses of the photos and an acknowledgment from the model. A detailed release usually has these parts:
After the names and the date, a longer release turns to what the model receives. The next section of the release form should specify whether the model gets any sort of payment for signing the form. It might be a fee, prints of photos given for free, or another option the parties agree to.
One of the main elements of the document is the rights granted to the photographer. It is common to write that the model photo can be used by the photographer in any sort of publication, including commercial ones. The form might also authorize the creator to use the images on public display or in their portfolio.
A model release form might also include the provision about the right to use the photos to represent an imaginary person.
Any special conditions of the usage of the images should be included in this section as well. If the parties decide to specify them in the release form, the separate signatures of the model and photographer are needed here.
The following section should tell that upon signing this form, the model will not file any claims regarding ownership to the images specified in this document.
The model should also confirm they are of majority age and clearly understand the essence of the waiver they are about to sign. Please note that if the model is under 18, the signature of their parent or guardian will be needed to make the document legally binding. Their name and address plus contacts should be also mentioned in the form.
The model should validate the copyright assignment by putting their signature on the form.
These two forms might be sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. In a model release form, the signature of the model indicates their waiver of the copyright to the photos. In a standard photo release form, the signature of the photographer is needed. By signing the photo release form, they let the buyer print copies of the images, for example, those made at weddings, portrait shootings, etc.
Quite often, both the photo release form and model release form are signed during the photo shooting. This gives the party taking photographs the right to use the images in their portfolio, while the model can duplicate photos as much as they need. With a properly signed form, they might sell their photos without violation of the creator’s copyright.
If you want to get a free model release form, use one of our templates. We offer a free model release form in three formats so that you can conveniently use one of them by downloading it to your device.
You can get the template in any of these ways:
The FormsPal model release template is a one-page PDF with eight fillable fields. Fill it in on your device with the PDF editor or print it and write by hand. Follow the two steps below, and use the screenshots to see where each answer goes.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Model Release template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
The template asks for these entries:
Step 1: Model, photographer, place and date of the photos
In the opening paragraph, write the model's name on the first line, then the photographer's name. Next fill in the place where the photos were taken, then the day, month and year of the shoot.
Step 2: Date and signatures
Read the printed release paragraphs, then write the date on the Dated line and have the model sign on the Model's Signature line. The last line, Parent/Guardian's Signature, is for a parent or guardian when the model is a minor.
The FormsPal template takes about 5 minutes. It has 8 fillable fields: the model's name, the photographer's name, the place, the day, month and year of the shoot, the date, and the signature lines.
Yes. Use the FormsPal document builder at the top of this page. Answer a few questions about the photographer, the model and the photos, then download your customized document to your device.
The date of the shoot goes in the opening paragraph, right after the place. The Dated line sits just above the Model's Signature line near the end of the form.
Keep a signed copy with your photo files, and give the model a copy if they ask for one.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
