so anyway i finally got a call from an actual real estate agency ? not a friend, a real agency ? and they want aerial photos and a video walkthrough for a listing next week. this is the first time im doing this for a proper client and i said yes obivously but now im sitting here second guessing everything. my part 107 is good, i have the Mavic 3 Pro so the gear isnt the issue, but i dont have any kind of contract or anything written up and im also not totally sure what my deliverables should even be.

like how many photos do i give them? do i watermark before they pay or just trust them? and what happens if the weather is bad that day, do i just eat the trip and reschedule? i know some of this probably sounds dumb but i really dont want to mess up a potential ongoing relationship with an agency. they mentioned they do about 15-20 listings a month which would be huge for me

congrats that's exciting. dont panic too much, real estate photography is pretty forgiving as a first client type since the shots are fairly predictable. for deliverables a standard package for a listing is usually somewhere around 10-15 edited aerial stills and a 60-90 second highlight reel, but honestly just ask them what they need ? agencies usually know exactly what they want and they'll tell you. some only care about stills, some want the cinematic stuff for social.

for contracts there are some free templates floating around on the Aerial Photography Network group on facebook actually, that might be a decent starting point. weather policy is something you should absolutely have written down somewhere before you show up ? most photographers do a free reschedule within a certain window if its clearly unflyable, but if the client keeps pushing things back after that you can charge a rebooking fee. just communicate it upfront and most people are totally reasonable about it

15-20 listings a month is huge if it actually materializes, agencies say that stuff and then you end up doing 3 listings in 6 months lol. not trying to be a downer, just manage your expectations a bit. that said definitely get something in writing even if its just a simple email chain confirming the scope and price before you show up. ive been burned by verbal agreements before and its not fun trying to collect from someone who suddenly "doesnt remember" agreeing to a certain price