The Business of Retouching

Business Workflow
I. Project Overview
II. Project Assessment + Bidding
III. Execution & Delivery
IV. Finalization

I. Project Overview

Client Inquiry
This is where it all starts. This could be an email, direct message, or phone call from a client inquiring about a
job. Clients will typically provide a brief overview and dates of a job, check your availability, and ask for rates/
cost/estimates. Respond quickly, but don’t give the client too much information without gathering more
information. If you are sure you’re not available to take the job, let the client know as soon as possible and
leave the door open for future collaborations. Otherwise, thank them for inquiring and begin gathering
information.

Gather Information - The Client Questionnaire

• Who is the photographer?

• Do research. Look at their work, their style, lighting, retouching, etc. Know what to expect.

• Has the job already been shot?

• If not, always consult with the photographer. Be on set during the shoot, if possible.

• Request test images before the final shoot. If possible, request samples during the shoot.

• If it has already been shot, review the images.

• What is the deadline?

• “As soon as possible" is not an answer. Get a date.

• Is there a budget? What is the budget?

• Don’t be afraid to ask this.

• How many final deliverables?

• This should also be a firm answer. If there is a range, round up and expect more than less.

• What work needs to be done to the images?

• Be very specific. Don’t expect clients to know industry language. Be prepared to educate them.

• How many revisions are expected?

• Revisions are inevitable. Set an expectation and plan for them. Your life will be much easier.

Client Response
Hopefully the client will answer most of your questions. This will often lead to additional clarifying questions. If
they don’t have firm answers or don’t answer some of your questions, ask again.

Gather Secondary Information

Follow up with any secondary or clarifying questions. Repeat any questions the client didn’t answer. We ask
these questions for a specific reason. Without clear answers, creating an accurate bid is difficult and can end
up costing money or derailing a project. Don’t be afraid to ask and ask again. Most clients will appreciate your
professionalism if you explain why these answers are so important.

Second Client Response

Hopefully by now the client has given clear answers to all of our questions. Continue asking clarifying
questions until you have firm, accurate information.

II. Project Assessment

Initial Project Assessment

Assess the scope of the project based on the information the client provided. How long will the project take?
Is the deadline feasible? How much time will you spend on each image? Does the client’s budget match the
amount of production required? If not, what is possible within the limitations? What can you do with the
budget and timeframe? Be honest and realistic with yourself and client in this stage.

Preliminary Bid
Create a preliminary bid based on the information the client has provided and your assessment of the work
involved. This is not a formal bid or work agreement. This is an approximation of production requirements,
timeline projections, and cost of production based on your assessment of the project. You are the expert and
professional in this stage. Be ready to explain and educate the client. Also expect the client to have clarifying
questions or negotiations.

Bid Negotiation
The client will likely want to negotiate your preliminary bid. This is okay, and usually isn’t a means to simply
pay less for your work. This is also an opportunity for you to negotiate production requirements, number of
deliverables, etc. Don’t talk about what you can’t do, talk about what you can do within the client’s budget
and timeline restrictions.

Bid Informal Agreement

This is a follow up to your preliminary bid based on any negotiations between you and the client. This is not a
formal bid or work agreement. Until the project has been shot and final assets are delivered and assessed, we
don’t know what production requirements are expected and therefore won’t create a formal work agreement.
This agreement is based on delivery and assessment of the final assets.

Asset Intake
Request the final assets required to complete the project. This is your opportunity to open files and make an
accurate assessment of the production requirements of the project.

Final Project Assessment

Further assess the scope of the project based on the final assets delivered. How long will the project take? Is
the deadline still feasible? How much time will you spend on each image? Does the client’s budget match the
amount of production required?

Bid Final Negotiation

Expect the client to have additional questions and negotiate the final conditions of the project. Often,
assessing assets can change the scope of production, requiring more or less work than you laid out in your
preliminary bid. This is an opportunity to inform and educate the client, and prepare any last changes to your
bid.

Formal Bid + Work Agreement

This is your final bid. Be very specific and include every detail and condition negotiated with the client.
Include production requirements, number of deliverables, timelines, deadlines, revisions, etc. There should be
no exceptions, unknown variables, or details left out of your formal estimate. Deliver your formal bid along
with a work agreement. The work agreement is a legally binding contract and must be signed by the client
before any production work begins. Require a 50% commencement fee along with your work agreement.
Until the signed work agreement and commencement fee are delivered, do not begin production.

Signed Work Agreement + Commencement Fee (50%)

Until you and the client have reached an agreement, and you’ve received the signed work agreement and
commencement fee, repeat the necessary steps of Project Assessment. Once you’ve received both,
production can begin.

III. Execution & Delivery

Production
This is where the real work begins. Execute the project as documented in the formal work agreement. Expect
revisions, check in with the client often, and address any questions or concerns along the way. Avoid making
assumptions that may require work to be redone.

Round 1 Delivery
Deliver a sample of files to the client once you’ve reached a stopping point. Ask for revisions and further
direction based on what was negotiated and documented in the work agreement.

Round 1 Revisions
Continue production based on the revisions and direction the client has provided after Round 1 Delivery.

Round 2 Delivery
Deliver another sample of files to the client once you’ve made Round 1 Revisions. Ask again for any additional
revisions and direction.


Round 2 Revisions
By now you should have the information and direction required to finalize deliverables. Unless you’ve
otherwise documented additional rounds of revisions in your work agreement, this should be the final round.

Client Approval
Until the client approves all final deliverables, repeat the necessary steps of Execution & Delivery. This is why
it’s so important to document every detail and condition in your work agreement— to prevent unnecessary
revisions and back and forth with the client. Once the client approves final deliverables, congratulations!
You’re in the home stretch, but we aren’t finished yet.

Finalize & Deliver

Make final exports of all deliverables as documented in the work agreement, and deliver to the client.

IV. Finalization

Invoice Balance
Deliver a final invoice to the client. This should look similar to your formal bid and work agreement, taking into
consideration any scope changes that may have occurred along the way.

Archive
Archive and document everything associated with the project. Emails, bids, work agreement, files, invoice,
expenses, etc. Treat these items as you would working files and back them up in multiple places.


Follow Up
As a courtesy, be sure to follow up with the client a week or two after the project is completed and make sure
everything is going well on their end. Ask if the assets have been used, if they are happy with them, etc. This
establishes a relationship and goes a long way with clients. It can lead to additional projects in the future.