How to collect releases/contracts/payments online, with ease!

[rachel_zee]

<p>I am a portrait and wedding photographer. Recently I have found the need to simplify the way I get releases and contracts signed, as well as receive payment. And I would love to go paperless!</p>

<p>The biggest issue that I am having right now, is getting a signed model release/agreement from my clients before a portrait session. I have all of the language written up, and currently I have been just emailing a .pdf to my client, having them fill in the blanks, sign it, scan it, and send it back over. This takes way longer than it should, and believe it or not, some of my clients have a hard time figuring out this system. I know that I could have them just bring it to the session, but I would really rather have it all taken care of at the time of booking. The "I forgot it at home, or, my printer doesn't work" excuses are common.</p>

<p>What I would really love to have (in a perfect world) is an online form for this where I can customize it with their date, time, location and session fee (bonus if they can pay for the session right there on the form), then send the link over for them to digitally sign. </p>

<p>Does such a thing exist? I have found a couple of online form providers by searching around the web, but none of them seem just right.</p>

<p>Any other photographers care to share their solutions to this problem?</p>

<p>Thanks for your input!</p>

[SCL]

<p>You could use Paypal to receive payments in advance, there's a fee, of course, but it is an easy method.</p>

[rachel_zee]

<p>Thanks, Stephen. I do currently use PayPal and I am very happy with it. What I'm really looking for is the ability to get releases/contracts signed online too.</p>

[garypeck]

<p>You have to meet with them when you shoot them - right? No tickey, no washey. I won't shoot a job without the signed release in my hand before anything happens - period! Never had a problem. Also, if I don't do it first thing - I'll forget until it's too late.</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>Most people do not have access to a verifiable digital signature with which to sign contracts. Setting up such, in something like Adobe Acrobat is easy and uncomplicated, but again, most people have not done so and without face-to-face coaching probably will not be able/willing to do so.<br>

Digital signatures are still in their infancy. Simply typing -Signed- Joe Blow at the bottom of an email does not provide any guarantees that it's really Joe Blow signing the document. Just look at how many bogus/forged emails you get every week. Do you want to trust real money to that level of security.<br>

Until you, and your clients, have implemented a verified digital signature system, that contract isn't worth the email it's written on, when worse comes to worse (i.e., someone defaults and claims that it's not their signature).<br>

<Chas><br /><br /></p>