Free Model & Print Release Templates
Free starting templates for a model release and a print release, covering the essentials each document needs.
A model release grants permission to use someone's likeness for specified purposes; a print release grants a client permission to print their own digital files at a lab of their choosing. Neither transfers copyright away from the photographer.
Model release vs print release — what each one actually covers
| Model release | Print release | |
|---|---|---|
| Who signs it | The person photographed (or a parent/guardian for a minor) | The client receiving the files |
| What it grants | Permission to use their likeness in specified ways | Permission to print the files at a lab of their choosing |
| When you need it | Reusing images beyond the shoot itself — portfolio, marketing, stock | Selling digital files a client will print themselves |
| Copyright | Stays with the photographer either way | Stays with the photographer either way |
Why copyright and usage rights are separate things
This is the part that trips people up: releasing files for printing, or releasing someone's likeness for use, doesn't hand over copyright. The photographer still owns the images unless a separate, explicit transfer says otherwise — a release only grants specific permissions, not ownership.
Both can be built as a contract in lemon.gallery, editable to your specific terms, and sent for e-signature the same way as a standard shoot contract.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both a model release and a print release?
It depends on the shoot — a print release matters whenever digital files are sold, while a model release matters if you plan to reuse the images beyond the client's own use.
Does a print release expire?
Only if you write an expiry into it — by default a release is valid for whatever scope and duration the document actually states, so be specific.
Do I need a model release for every portrait client?
Not if you're only delivering their own photos for their own use — a model release matters when you want to reuse the images yourself, in a portfolio or ad, beyond that.
Can a minor sign a model release?
No — a parent or legal guardian needs to sign on behalf of anyone under 18.
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