# Photo Release Form > This fillable photo release form, also called a media release, records who was photographed, where, and what the organizer may do with the media. Each use gets its own yes or no: internal, editorial, and marketing or advertising. A guardian section covers minors. Filling in any template is free and needs no account: you type your answers in the browser and download the finished PDF. The blank PDF is free to download once, and every blank template is in Pro. Page: https://pdfinish.com/templates/photo-release-form Last updated: October 31, 2026 ## What is in it A fillable PDF with 32 fields and 2 signature boxes. ## When to use it - Photos and video at an event, class, tour or open house - A portrait or product shoot with a model, with an optional payment line - Pictures of children, with a parent or legal guardian signing for them ## How to fill it in 1. **Open it.** Choose Fill it in free. No account is needed, and the template opens straight in our Fill PDF tool, with no download needed. You can also download the blank PDF once for free and open it in any PDF reader. 2. **Type into the boxes.** Click a box and type, or tick a checkbox. Ask the person to choose for each use, and keep a copy for your records. A blank choice counts as no. If you plan to use the media in ads, say so out loud as well, so the choice is an informed one. 3. **Sign and save.** When you finish, enter your email: the download starts and we send you a link to the finished file. To sign it, open it in Sign PDF, or print it and sign by hand. Your file stays on your device unless you ask us to email it. ## What the law says in a few places Rights over a person's name and image are set by each state, and the rules differ. This note is one example from a statute, not a list of every state. It is general information, not legal advice. - California's Civil Code section 3344 says a person who knowingly uses another's name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness for advertising or selling, or on products, without that person's prior consent (for a minor, the prior consent of a parent or legal guardian) is liable for damages of at least $750. It says news, public affairs and sports accounts do not need that consent, and that a person shown only as part of a crowd or other definable group is treated as a member of the group. Source: [California Civil Code section 3344, as published by California.Public.Law](https://california.public.law/codes/civil_code_section_3344), read October 30, 2026. ## Common questions ### Do I need a photo release for event photos? Often yes, when you plan to use the photos to advertise or sell. Rights over a person's image are set by each state. California's Civil Code section 3344 is one example: it requires prior consent for advertising use, and a parent's consent for a minor, but exempts news and public affairs. Get consent in writing and check your state. ### What is the difference between a photo release, a media release and a model release? The names overlap. A photo release covers pictures of a person. A media release also covers video and sound. A model release is usually for a posed shoot, often with payment and wider uses. This one form covers photo, video and sound, lets you choose each use, and has an optional payment line. Pick the name your audience searches for. ### Can a parent sign a photo release for a child? Yes. A child usually cannot give binding consent, so a parent or legal guardian signs for them. California's section 3344, for example, asks for a parent's or guardian's prior consent for a minor. This form has a guardian section that records the adult, the relationship and each child. A minor's release without that signature may protect you very little. ### Can someone take back their consent for photos? This form says yes, for future uses. The person can write to the contact on the form and withdraw, and the organizer then stops new uses within a reasonable time. It may not be able to pull back things already printed or shared. Say so plainly at signing, so no one is surprised later. ### What should a photo release form include? A good release names the person, the organizer, the event or shoot and its date. It gives a separate yes or no for internal, editorial and marketing use, says whether the name may be shown, and states where, for how long and how to withdraw. Add any payment, a signature, a date and a guardian section. ### Is this template free? Filling it in is free, and you do not need an account. You type your answers in your browser and download the finished PDF. The blank PDF is free to download once; after that, Pro, Lifetime and Team unlock every blank template. ### What if I only want the blank PDF? One blank download is free for each visitor. After that, Pro gives you every blank template, plus unlimited uses. You can still fill any template in free. ### Does PDFinish see what I type? Not while you fill it in. The template opens and fills in your browser. If you ask us to email the finished file, it goes through our server, stays encrypted for 7 days so the link works, and is then deleted. ## Related tools - [Fill PDF](https://pdfinish.com/fill-pdf): Fill a PDF form, with or without fillable fields: type, tick, sign and date. - [Sign PDF](https://pdfinish.com/sign-pdf): Draw or type your signature and place it on the page. - [Merge PDF](https://pdfinish.com/merge-pdf): Combine several PDFs into one file, in the order you choose. This is general information, not legal advice. Check your local rules or ask a professional.