Do I really need a contract for a Matterport shoot?

Yes — even for a $300 residential shoot. A contract protects you on scope creep, payment terms, intellectual property, reshoot expectations, and liability. The cost of NOT having a contract is one disputed invoice or one client who demands a full reshoot after a Friday delivery. A 2-page contract takes 15 minutes to send and prevents 95% of payment and scope disputes.

Should the Matterport tour itself be owned by me, the client, or both?

This is the single most important clause. The cleanest approach for most independent photographers: you retain copyright as the creator, you grant the client an unlimited license to use the tour for marketing the specific property, and you reserve the right to use the tour in your portfolio. If a client demands full ownership / copyright transfer, charge a 50–100% premium — you're giving up future portfolio value.

How should I handle a request for a reshoot?

Be specific in the contract: one reshoot included if requested within 7 days of delivery and caused by photographer error (missed rooms, technical issues with the scan, etc.); reshoots requested due to client-side changes (new staging, paint, furniture) are billed at 50% of the original shoot rate plus any travel. Without this clause, every client thinks reshoots are free.

When should payment be due — before, during, or after the shoot?

For one-off clients, 50% deposit on booking and 50% on delivery is industry standard. For repeat clients (real estate agents, brokerages), net-7 or net-15 after delivery is acceptable. Avoid net-30; it's a cash flow killer for solo operators. Always include a late-fee clause (1.5% per month or your state's max) — most clients pay on time when they know the consequence.

What happens if a client cancels the shoot at the last minute?

Standard cancellation tiers: more than 48 hours before = no charge or full refund of deposit; 24–48 hours = 50% of total fee; less than 24 hours or no-show = 100% of total fee. This protects the hour or two of pre-shoot prep plus the lost-opportunity cost of the booking slot. Make sure the cancellation window is explicit in writing.

Do I need liability insurance to shoot Matterport tours of client properties?

Strongly recommended. A $1M general liability policy costs $30–$60/month for a solo photographer and covers you if your tripod scratches a hardwood floor, your camera triggers a fire alarm, or a client trips over your equipment. The contract should also include a liability cap (typically the total contract value) and a hold-harmless clause for issues beyond your reasonable control.

Can I use this contract template as-is, or do I need a lawyer to review it?

Treat this template as a starting point, not a finished legal document. The clauses cover the standard 3D-tour scenarios well, but contract law varies by state and country. Before using on actual client work — especially for high-value contracts ($1,000+), commercial real estate, or work in unfamiliar jurisdictions — have a local attorney review it. The cost of one 30-minute attorney consult ($100–$300) is cheap insurance.

Should this contract be different for commercial vs residential clients?

Yes, in several places. Commercial clients usually negotiate net-30+ payment terms, want broader IP licenses, expect higher liability caps, often require additional insureds on your policy, and may have their own MSA they want you to sign instead. For commercial work over $5,000, send your contract first as the starting position, but expect negotiation. The base template here is sized for residential photographer-to-agent work.

Free Matterport Contract Template for 3D Tour Photographers

A complete, free Matterport contract template for 3D virtual tour photographers — covering scope of work, deliverables, payment terms, intellectual property, reshoot policy, liability, and cancellation. Every clause is explained beneath it in plain English, so you understand what you're signing (and what you're asking your client to sign).

Last updated 2026-05-15. Written by Tom Sparks, Publisher of the We Get Around Network. Not legal advice — see “Should I have a lawyer review this?” below.

What's in this template

Scope of work and deliverables
Payment terms and late fees
Intellectual property and usage license
Reshoot policy
Cancellation and rescheduling
Liability and insurance
Confidentiality (for sensitive properties)
Force majeure and acts of god
Governing law and dispute resolution

Free · No email required · Editable in Word

Prefer to copy-paste? The full contract text is also below — drop it into Word / Google Docs / your contract software, swap in your business details, and you're ready to send.

Why do I need a contract for a Matterport shoot?

Even for a $300 residential shoot, a written contract prevents the four most common disputes that cost photographers money and relationships:

Scope creep. “Can you also do the detached garage?” with no agreed extra fee.
Payment delays. “Can we pay net-60 instead?” on what was a 50/50 split.
Free reshoots. The client repaints, restages, and assumes you'll redo the whole tour at no charge.
IP confusion. The client demands raw files, or starts using your tour for non-listing marketing without asking.

A contract takes 15 minutes to send. It pays for itself the first time you avoid one of the above.

The contract — full text

Replace every [BRACKETED PLACEHOLDER] with your actual business details before sending. Clause-by-clause explanations follow each section.

3D Virtual Tour Services Agreement

This Agreement is entered into on [DATE] between:

Photographer: [YOUR LEGAL NAME or BUSINESS NAME], [YOUR ADDRESS], (“Photographer”)
Client: [CLIENT NAME or BROKERAGE], [CLIENT ADDRESS], (“Client”)

1. Scope of Work

Photographer agrees to provide 3D virtual tour photography services at the property located at [PROPERTY ADDRESS] (the “Property”) on or about [SHOOT DATE] (the “Shoot Date”). Services include capturing 3D scan points throughout the interior of the Property using Matterport / [SCANNER MODEL] capture equipment, uploading the captured data to the [PLATFORM] hosting service, and delivering the finished tour link to Client within [TURNAROUND TIME, e.g., 48 hours] of capture completion.

2. Deliverables

Photographer will deliver:

(a) One (1) finished 3D virtual tour hosted on [PLATFORM], accessible via shareable URL;
(b) One (1) embeddable iframe code snippet for inclusion on Client's website or MLS listing;
(c) [OPTIONAL: schematic floor plan in PDF format];
(d) [OPTIONAL: exterior 360 panorama(s) captured at the Property];
(e) [OPTIONAL: extracted high-resolution still images, count: ___].

3. Fees and Payment

The total fee for services described in Sections 1 and 2 is $[TOTAL FEE](the “Fee”), payable as follows:
(a) Deposit: Fifty percent (50%) of the Fee, due on signing of this Agreement;
(b) Balance: Remaining fifty percent (50%) of the Fee, due upon delivery of the finished tour.

Accepted payment methods: [LIST: credit card via Stripe / ACH / check]. Late payments accrue interest at one-and-one-half percent (1.5%) per month or the maximum rate permitted by [STATE] law, whichever is less. Photographer reserves the right to withhold delivery of the finished tour until the deposit is received.

4. Intellectual Property and Usage License

(a) Copyright. Photographer retains all copyright and intellectual property rights in the 3D tour, captured scan data, and any extracted still images.
(b) License to Client. Upon payment in full of the Fee, Photographer grants Client a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free license to use the deliverables for the purpose of marketing, leasing, or selling the specific Property identified in Section 1, including display on Client's website, MLS listings, social media, and printed marketing materials.
(c) Photographer's Use. Client grants Photographer a non-exclusive, perpetual right to use the deliverables in Photographer's portfolio, marketing materials, social media, and case studies, without further compensation. Photographer agrees not to disclose the specific street address of the Property in such use without Client's consent.
(d) Third-Party Use. Client may not sublicense, sell, or transfer the deliverables to any third party without Photographer's prior written consent. The license in Section 4(b) does not extend to use for any property other than the Property identified in Section 1.

5. Reshoot Policy

(a) Photographer Error. If a reshoot is requested within seven (7) days of delivery due to a clear photographer-side issue (missed rooms, technical scan failures, quality issues that cannot be addressed in post-processing), Photographer will perform one (1) reshoot of the affected areas at no additional charge.
(b) Client-Initiated Changes. Reshoots requested due to client-side changes after the original shoot — including but not limited to repainting, restaging, replacement of furnishings, new construction, or seasonal exterior changes — are billed at fifty percent (50%) of the original Fee plus any applicable travel charges.
(c) Hosting Updates. Updating an existing published tour with newly captured rooms or revised media within the same Matterport space is included in clause 5(a) if eligible; otherwise treated as a new project under clause 5(b).

6. Cancellation and Rescheduling

(a) Cancellation by Client.More than 48 hours before the Shoot Date: full refund of deposit. 24–48 hours before: 50% of the Fee retained as a cancellation fee. Less than 24 hours or no-show on Shoot Date: 100% of the Fee due.
(b) Cancellation by Photographer. Photographer may cancel for cause (illness, equipment failure, force majeure) with full refund of any deposit paid, and will make reasonable efforts to reschedule.
(c) Weather and Property Access. If the shoot cannot proceed due to lack of property access, severe weather, or unsafe conditions on the Shoot Date, the deposit will be applied to a rescheduled Shoot Date within thirty (30) days at no additional charge.

7. Liability and Insurance

(a) Photographer's Insurance. Photographer maintains general liability insurance with limits of not less than $[INSURANCE LIMIT, e.g., 1,000,000] per occurrence. Proof of coverage available upon request.
(b) Liability Cap. In no event shall Photographer's aggregate liability under this Agreement exceed the total Fee paid by Client.
(c) Indemnification. Client agrees to indemnify and hold Photographer harmless from any claim arising from (i) Client's use of the deliverables outside the license granted in Section 4, (ii) the condition of the Property, or (iii) the actions of any third parties at the Property during the Shoot Date.
(d) No Consequential Damages. Neither party shall be liable to the other for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including lost profits.

8. Confidentiality

For sensitive properties (private residences of public figures, properties under non-disclosure listings, occupied luxury homes), Photographer agrees not to publicly identify the Property by street address or owner without Client's consent. Photographer may still use the deliverables in portfolio materials under Section 4(c) so long as identifying details are withheld.

9. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for delay or failure to perform caused by events outside their reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, government action, internet or platform outages, equipment failure, illness, or labor disruption. The affected party will notify the other promptly and the parties will work in good faith to reschedule.

10. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of [STATE], without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising under this Agreement that cannot be resolved through good-faith negotiation within thirty (30) days shall be submitted to binding arbitration in [CITY, STATE] under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The prevailing party in any such proceeding shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees.

11. Entire Agreement and Modifications

This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes any prior oral or written agreements. Modifications must be in writing and signed by both parties.

Agreed and accepted by:

Photographer: ___________________________ Date: ___________
Client: ___________________________ Date: ___________

This template was written for US-based photographer-to-real-estate-agent residential shoot work. For commercial, international, or high-value contracts, have a local attorney review the language for your jurisdiction.

Same contract as above, formatted as a branded PDF.

What each clause actually means

Section 1: Scope of Work: Defines exactly what you're hired to do. The two client-side risks this clause prevents: (a) Client expects more than what you quoted (“Can you also scan the basement? The pool house? The garage?”), and (b) Client expects faster turnaround than you committed to. Be specific about which property, which date, which platform.
Section 2: Deliverables: List every file/asset the client gets, by name. If a client later asks for “the raw scans” or “the source files,” you can point to this list and decline. Optional add-ons (floor plan, drone, stills) are listed separately so it's clear what was/wasn't paid for.
Section 3: Fees and Payment: 50/50 split is industry standard for one-off clients. For repeat clients (agents who book you 2+ times per month), net-7 or net-15 after delivery is acceptable. Never agree to net-30 as a solo operator — it kills cash flow. The 1.5%/month late-fee clause sounds aggressive but is enforceable in most US states and prevents 80% of slow-pay behavior.
Section 4: Intellectual Property: The most important clause in the contract. You retain copyright, the client gets an unlimited license to use the tour for the specific listing, and you can use the tour in your portfolio. If a client asks for “all rights” or “copyright transfer,” charge 50–100% more — you're giving up future portfolio value and the right to reuse your work.
Section 5: Reshoot Policy: Without this clause, every client thinks reshoots are free. With it, the line between “photographer error” (your fault, free reshoot) and “client-initiated change” (new staging/paint, billed at 50%) is explicit. The 7-day window protects you from being on the hook for reshoots requested months later.
Section 6: Cancellation and Rescheduling: The 48-hour / 24-hour / no-show tiers are industry-standard and reasonable. You've already invested time in prep and lost the booking slot. Weather and access caveats keep you fair to clients dealing with circumstances beyond their control.
Section 7: Liability and Insurance: The liability cap (limiting your max exposure to the Fee paid) is a standard professional-services protection. If you don't cap it and your tripod scratches a $20K hardwood floor, you're on the hook for $20K. Have a real general liability policy ($30–$60/month) regardless of what the contract says — the cap is the floor, the insurance is the floor for the floor.
Section 8: Confidentiality: Matters for celebrity properties, private listings, and occupied luxury homes. Even with a portfolio-use clause, you commit not to identify the specific address publicly when the client asks. Most photographers never invoke this, but the one time you need it, it's in writing.
Section 9: Force Majeure: The “acts of god” clause. Protects you (and the client) from being penalized for things genuinely outside your control — Matterport hosting outages, broken equipment, flu, severe weather. Standard contract language; keep it.
Section 10: Governing Law and Dispute Resolution: Specifies which state's law applies (your state, by default) and that disputes go to arbitration rather than court. Arbitration is faster and cheaper than litigation for the typical $300–$2,000 contract dispute. The “prevailing party gets fees” line discourages frivolous disputes.
Section 11: Entire Agreement: Boilerplate that says “this written contract is the whole agreement — any verbal promises don't count unless they're in writing.” Standard protection.

When should I deviate from this template?

Three scenarios where the template needs adjustment, not just fill-in-the-blanks:

Commercial clients (offices, warehouses, retail). Commercial usually wants net-30+ payment, broader IP licensing (for their internal training, leasing materials, capital stack), and higher liability caps. Often they'll send their own MSA and ask you to sign instead. For contracts over $5,000, negotiate before signing.
High-volume agent retainers. If you're doing 10+ shoots per month for the same brokerage, a master services agreement (MSA) with one signing plus a simple per-shoot work order is much cleaner than re-sending this contract every time.
Sensitive listings (celebrity homes, pre-market properties, occupied estates). Add an NDA in addition to Section 8. Tighten portfolio-use language. Consider additional insureds on your policy.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need a contract for a Matterport shoot?: Yes — even for a $300 residential shoot. A contract protects you on scope creep, payment terms, intellectual property, reshoot expectations, and liability. The cost of NOT having a contract is one disputed invoice or one client who demands a full reshoot after a Friday delivery. A 2-page contract takes 15 minutes to send and prevents 95% of payment and scope disputes.
Should the Matterport tour itself be owned by me, the client, or both?: This is the single most important clause. The cleanest approach for most independent photographers: you retain copyright as the creator, you grant the client an unlimited license to use the tour for marketing the specific property, and you reserve the right to use the tour in your portfolio. If a client demands full ownership / copyright transfer, charge a 50–100% premium — you're giving up future portfolio value.
How should I handle a request for a reshoot?: Be specific in the contract: one reshoot included if requested within 7 days of delivery and caused by photographer error (missed rooms, technical issues with the scan, etc.); reshoots requested due to client-side changes (new staging, paint, furniture) are billed at 50% of the original shoot rate plus any travel. Without this clause, every client thinks reshoots are free.
When should payment be due — before, during, or after the shoot?: For one-off clients, 50% deposit on booking and 50% on delivery is industry standard. For repeat clients (real estate agents, brokerages), net-7 or net-15 after delivery is acceptable. Avoid net-30; it's a cash flow killer for solo operators. Always include a late-fee clause (1.5% per month or your state's max) — most clients pay on time when they know the consequence.
What happens if a client cancels the shoot at the last minute?: Standard cancellation tiers: more than 48 hours before = no charge or full refund of deposit; 24–48 hours = 50% of total fee; less than 24 hours or no-show = 100% of total fee. This protects the hour or two of pre-shoot prep plus the lost-opportunity cost of the booking slot. Make sure the cancellation window is explicit in writing.
Do I need liability insurance to shoot Matterport tours of client properties?: Strongly recommended. A $1M general liability policy costs $30–$60/month for a solo photographer and covers you if your tripod scratches a hardwood floor, your camera triggers a fire alarm, or a client trips over your equipment. The contract should also include a liability cap (typically the total contract value) and a hold-harmless clause for issues beyond your reasonable control.
Can I use this contract template as-is, or do I need a lawyer to review it?: Treat this template as a starting point, not a finished legal document. The clauses cover the standard 3D-tour scenarios well, but contract law varies by state and country. Before using on actual client work — especially for high-value contracts ($1,000+), commercial real estate, or work in unfamiliar jurisdictions — have a local attorney review it. The cost of one 30-minute attorney consult ($100–$300) is cheap insurance.
Should this contract be different for commercial vs residential clients?: Yes, in several places. Commercial clients usually negotiate net-30+ payment terms, want broader IP licenses, expect higher liability caps, often require additional insureds on your policy, and may have their own MSA they want you to sign instead. For commercial work over $5,000, send your contract first as the starting position, but expect negotiation. The base template here is sized for residential photographer-to-agent work.

Legal disclaimer

This template is provided as a starting point for 3D virtual tour photographers' client engagements. It is not legal advice and does not establish an attorney-client relationship between you, We Get Around Network, or any contributor to this page. Contract law varies by jurisdiction; review the language with a licensed attorney in your state or country before use, especially for high-value contracts or unfamiliar jurisdictions. We Get Around Network and its contributors assume no liability for use or misuse of this template.

Price the shoot you're about to contract for

Drop the property details, your scanner, your rate, and your add-ons into the WGAN calculator and get a client-ready PDF quote you can attach alongside this contract. Two documents, one professional package.

Open the WGAN 3D Tour Price Calculator →