A portrait is commissioned for a specific use: a professional profile, a website, an application. In Graindevue, the client books your "Professional Portrait" package, says who is billed, and the contract sets the uses assigned to them. After the session, they find the edited series in their gallery and download the photos they choose.
This page follows a portrait session, from request to photo selection. Graindevue works in euros, for photographers working in France. For a creative project, see artistic portrait photographers.
A portrait session, step by step
| Step | Who / where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Request | The client, on your profile | The "Professional Portrait" type, your package, the date and start time, "Photographer's studio" or "Custom location". |
| 2. Billing | The client | "Who should be billed?": "Me personally" or "My business", then "Book Session". |
| 3. Contract | You, "Contract" tab | At your studio, "Add the shooting address" with the studio's address. "Generate Contract" from the professional portrait template, review, then "Send for Review". |
| 4. Signatures | The client, then you | The client signs first, then you sign. |
| 5. Payment | The client | Deposit and balance as set on the package. The invoice is issued in your name at the first payment. |
| 6. Delivery | You, "Files" tab | Once the Booking is fully paid, "Upload" then "Share Gallery". |
| 7. Selection | The client, in their gallery | They tick the photos they want and click "Download", or "Download All". |
Fictional example: Nadia's portrait for her business
This example is made up to illustrate the flow.
Nadia is launching her consulting business in Toulouse and wants a portrait for her professional profile and her website. She books your "Professional Portrait, 1 hour" package for a Thursday at 10 am, at the "Photographer's studio", and picks "My business" for billing.
As Nadia booked your studio, the "Contract" tab asks for the session's address: you click "Add the shooting address", enter the studio's address, then "Generate Contract". The contract sets out the assigned uses and your delivery timeframe. Nadia signs, you sign, she pays for the package by card. After the session, you upload the edited series. Nadia browses her gallery, ticks three portraits and downloads them.
The professional portrait contract
For a package of the "Professional Portrait" type, Graindevue uses a template written for portraits. The contract text is in French. It includes:
- the commissioning client: an individual, a freelancer or a company, who may be different from the person photographed;
- your commitments: directing poses, several framings for different uses, and sober, natural retouching, with no change to facial features without written agreement;
- the assignment of rights: when the client is the person photographed, a non-exclusive five-year assignment of their professional uses (professional networks, CV, website, email signature, business card);
- the consent of the person photographed to the shoot and the assigned uses;
- delivery: for an individual session, the client receives all the edited portraits to make their selection;
- lateness: beyond 15 minutes, the session time may be reduced accordingly.
You can adapt the template's editable articles (obligations, copyright, image rights, cancellation, mediation) on the package, or for one session with "Edit Template" while the contract is a draft. For broader uses, the Booking's "Rights" tab adds a rights assignment annex to the contract. See the contract management page.
Your offer, your prices
The package sets the duration in hours, "Minimum Shots" edited, the delivery timeframe carried into the contract, and the price: "Simple price", "Itemize lines" or "On quote". Your prices and what each package includes are yours: the guide on pricing your photography helps you build them.
The "Deposit Percentage", "Balance Due" and payment methods are also set on the package. You can ask for the full amount upfront with "Require 100% payment upfront (no balance)". See the deposit guide and the payment processing page.
Selection in the gallery
The gallery opens in the "Files" tab once the Booking is fully paid. You upload the series with "Upload" and deliver it with "Share Gallery"; the client receives an email and opens their gallery signed in to their account.
There, they browse the photos in a grid or full screen, tick the ones they want and click "Download" to get their selection, or "Download All" for the full series. Only the client and you can open the gallery. See the gallery delivery page.
What Graindevue costs
€29 per month after a 30-day trial with no card, and no platform commission on your Bookings. Online payments go through Stripe, whose processing fees apply. See the zero commission page.
Going further
- A creative portrait project, with the artistic portrait contract: artistic portrait photographers.
- A family group portrait: family photographers.
- The rights clauses to decide before signing: the photography contract guide.
To generate a portrait contract on a test Booking, start the free 30-day trial, with no card.
Frequently asked questions
Who can book a professional portrait?
An individual, a freelancer or a company. On the request, the client picks "Me personally" or "My business"; in the second case, they fill in their company details for the invoice.
Which uses does the contract assign to the client?
When the client is the person photographed, the template assigns their professional uses for five years, non-exclusively: professional networks, CV, website, email signature, business card. For other uses, add an annex in the "Rights" tab.
How does the client choose their photos?
In their gallery, they tick the photos they want and click "Download", or download the full series with "Download All".
Can I set my own portrait packages?
Yes. Duration, number of edited photos, delivery timeframe, fixed price, itemised lines or quote: each package is yours.
Does the contract cover retouching?
Yes. The template describes sober, natural professional retouching, and excludes changes to facial features without written agreement.
What if the client arrives late?
The template provides that beyond 15 minutes of lateness, the session time may be reduced accordingly.