Retouch rounds
How do I write a revision policy for my photography clients?
Short answer
A good revision policy fits in four sentences: how many rounds of retouching notes are included, what one round is, what the next round costs and how it is approved, and what is not a revision at all, such as a reshoot or new images. Put it in the scope or contract the client approves before the shoot, not in an email afterward.
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What to look for
The included rounds as a number
"Reasonable edits" means something different to every client.
In PaloWorks
The scope carries the included rounds as a number, two by default, beside the deliverables and the price.
A definition of one round
Without it, every message is arguably part of the first round.
In PaloWorks
A round stays open until you mark it sent back, so notes the client sends from the scope page in the meantime join it.
What happens after the included rounds
A policy that only says no makes the client feel refused. One that names the next step reads as a menu.
In PaloWorks
The next round is a change order the client approves from the signing link emailed to them, or declines.
Approved before the work starts
A policy the client never agreed to is only your opinion.
In PaloWorks
The client approves the scope from the signing link emailed to them, with their name and the time recorded.
How it works in PaloWorks
Step 1
Set the number
Choose the included rounds for this kind of shoot, and write it into the scope.
Step 2
Define a round
One set of written notes, sent once, on every image to change. Later notes start the next round.
Step 3
Name the next step
Say the next round is quoted as a change order and starts once approved.
Step 4
Get it approved
Send the scope. The client approves from the signing link emailed to them, before the shoot.
When PaloWorks is the wrong pick
- This is a template, not legal advice. For contract terms where you work, ask a local lawyer.
- If your clients only buy prints from a gallery with no retouching requests, a revision policy may never come up.
Comparing tools? Read PaloWorks compared, including what the others are better at.
Questions people ask
- What should the clause say, word for word?
- For example: "Two rounds of retouching notes are included. A round is one set of written notes, sent once, on every image you want changed; notes sent after a round is returned start the next round. Further rounds are quoted as a change order and start once you approve it. Reshoots, new images and composites are not revisions."
- Where should the policy go?
- In the scope or contract the client approves before the shoot. Repeat it in the delivery message so it is fresh when the notes arrive.
- Should the policy name a price for extra rounds?
- Naming one up front prevents haggling later. Some photographers state a flat fee; others say extra rounds are quoted. Either works if the client sees it before they agree.
- Does PaloWorks have a photography contract template?
- Yes, a free photography contract template on the site. Pair it with a scope that sets the included rounds, which is where PaloWorks counts them.