Business and Photography Questions and Answers with Richard Linton FOCUS POINTS:

If there is a scope change, inform your client that it is a variation before doing the extra work and let them know them that it will have an impact on the invoice you’ll be sending. Variations are even covered in the AIPA/NZIPP Standard Terms & Conditions, which is another good reason to make sure you always use them.

12. CHANGES TO THE ESTIMATE

12.1 Estimates of fees and Job-Related Costs are estimates and not firm quotations and are liable to alteration. The Photographer must bring any increase to the estimate, of 10% or more, to the attention of the Client. Any change to the job specifications made or agreed by the Client may alter the fees and Job-Related Costs.

You mentioned in your question that you had provided a ‘quote’ for the job. Personally I suggest you don’t use that word and I recommend using words such as ‘estimate’ or ‘proposal’ instead as this implies it is not a fixed price and is open to variation and/or negotiation.

Variations, scope change and other ‘mission creep’ are quite common and you don’t want to get trapped with a client saying ‘but you quoted $x’, even when they changed the job requirements.

Scope change may fall into one of many areas, the most common ones I see are...

• clients wanting to reschedule or postponing at the last minute

• clients wanting to split what was meant to be a single shoot over several sessions/site visits

• more subjects to be photographed than briefed

• changes in the number of images the client wants to be delivered

• expectations around retouching requirements

• changes in the deadlines for deliverables i.e. client suddenly wanting the images immediately

I’m very careful in my proposals to clearly state the number of sessions/site visits, the total maximum amount of time I’m expecting to be shooting, how many subjects are to be photographed, how many images are to be supplied, the expected time/level of post production and when the final images will be delivered. Anything outside these variables is fair game to be paid for in my books.

Sometimes however you have to balance your relationship with your client verses the additional fees you might charge and I often do small favours for clients (under promise, over deliver). I always show the extra work on the invoice but often will do an adjustment line item to reduce the extra cost as a favour. This lets them know the value of the extra work and can build a good relationship but be aware that some clients do seem to constantly be moving the goal posts on every job. In those cases I try to have a grown up conversation about this and suggest that the past pricing can’t continue to apply. I’ve found that they usually accept this when the matter is raised. If you get push back put the shoe on the other foot and ask them what they would do if their clients acted in the same way, I’m sure you’ll find they wouldn’t be nearly as tolerant/flexible to scope change as you’ve been with them.