ScopeSnap › Templates › Photography
Photography projects drift when the deal lives in a text thread. A half-day product shoot turns into a full day because the client brought forty extra SKUs. A wedding client asks for a second shooter the week before. An 'edited gallery' means 30 images to you and 300 to them. A brand shoot ends with a request for raw files. None of this is dishonest. It is what happens when nobody wrote down what was agreed.
This page gives you a short list of what a photography scope of work must include, the items clients most often assume are free, and notes on how pricing usually works. There is a worked example so you can see the level of detail that holds up. At the bottom is a blank fill-in template. Copy it, replace the brackets, and send it before you send a number.
Scoping a new photography job right now?Paste the email or chat thread. One-page scope in under a minute. Free preview, then $19 for 10 scopes.
Scope my requestThese are the things photography clients most often assume are included. Listing them up front is what keeps the project from growing after you've quoted.
This is the kind of request that usually lands in your inbox:
Hi there, we're getting married June 14 at a barn venue about an hour north of the city. Ceremony at 4, reception till 11. We'd love engagement photos too and maybe the rehearsal dinner the night before? My mom is asking about a printed album. We also want photos of getting ready at the hotel. How does pricing work and do we get all the raw files? Our friend might fly a drone, is that ok?
And this is the one-page scope ScopeSnap produced from it, unedited:
You need full-day wedding photography from hotel getting-ready through reception end, plus an engagement session, with clear answers on files, album, and add-ons.
Driven by 9 hours of coverage plus engagement session, with rehearsal dinner, album, and second shooter add-ons pushing toward the high end.
Photography is usually priced one of five ways: a fixed project fee, an hourly rate, a half-day or full-day rate, a monthly retainer for ongoing content, or tiered packages that bundle time, image counts, and usage. The number goes up with hours on site, number of locations, final image count, retouching depth, crew, travel, and how broadly the client wants to use the images. Until you know the shot list, the usage, and the turnaround, quote a range. A firm number given before those answers is a guess, and the client will treat it as a promise.
Copy this, fill in the brackets, and delete anything that doesn't apply.
PROJECT Client: [CLIENT NAME] | Photographer: [YOUR NAME] | Date: [DATE] Project: [SHOOT TYPE, e.g. product, headshots, event, wedding, real estate] SUMMARY [ONE OR TWO SENTENCES: what is being photographed, where, and what the images are for] IN SCOPE Shoot: [NUMBER] session(s) at [LOCATION(S)], [CALL TIME] to [WRAP TIME] on [DATE(S)] Deliverables: [NUMBER] final edited images, selected by [PHOTOGRAPHER / CLIENT FROM PROOFS] Editing: color correction, exposure, cropping, [BASIC SKIN RETOUCHING / NONE] Formats: [JPEG / TIFF] at [FULL RESOLUTION AND WEB SIZE], delivered via [ONLINE GALLERY / DOWNLOAD LINK] Usage: [SOCIAL, WEBSITE, PRINT COLLATERAL] for [TERM], [REGION], non-exclusive, credit [REQUIRED / NOT REQUIRED] OUT OF SCOPE Raw or unedited files; images beyond [NUMBER]; advanced retouching or compositing Second shooter, assistant, hair, makeup, styling, models, props Paid advertising, billboard, or resale usage; prints, albums, and physical products Travel beyond [RADIUS] miles, lodging, studio rental, permits, and location fees ASSUMPTIONS Shot list of [NUMBER] setups / [NUMBER] products is final [NUMBER] days before the shoot [LOCATION] is available, lit, and cleared for photography at call time; weather backup is [RESCHEDULE DATE / INDOOR ALTERNATIVE] CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES Provide shot list, brand guidelines, and reference images by [DATE] Arrange access, parking, permits, and an on-site point of contact: [NAME, PHONE] Have [PRODUCTS / PEOPLE / ROOMS] prepped and ready at call time TIMELINE Shoot: [DATE]. Proofs: [NUMBER] business days after shoot. Final files: [NUMBER] business days after selections. REVISIONS [NUMBER] round(s) of edits on selected images within [NUMBER] days of delivery; additional rounds at [RATE] Reshoots due to client-side changes billed at [DAY / HALF-DAY RATE] PRICE AND PAYMENT Total: [AMOUNT]. Deposit: [PERCENT]% to hold the date, balance due [ON DELIVERY / NET 15] Cancellation: [TERMS]. Overtime on site: [RATE] per hour after [WRAP TIME] ACCEPTANCE Client accepts delivery when files are downloaded or [NUMBER] days pass without written revision requests Signed: [CLIENT NAME, DATE] / [PHOTOGRAPHER NAME, DATE]
Rather not fill in the blanks by hand?Paste the email or chat thread. One-page scope in under a minute. Free preview, then $19 for 10 scopes.
Scope my requestState a specific number, not 'a gallery' or 'all the good ones.' Base it on the shoot type and time on site. A one-hour headshot session might promise a handful per person; a full-day event might promise a few hundred. Tie the count to the shot list. Say what happens above the number: extra images at a per-image rate. A number gives you something to point to when the client asks for more.
Usually no. Raw files are unfinished work, and handing them over means someone else's edit carries your name. Most photographers list raw files as out of scope by default. If a client insists, price it separately and put the terms in writing: which files, in what format, and that no editing or reprocessing is expected from you afterward. Saying it in the scope avoids the awkward conversation after delivery.
The scope describes the work: what you will shoot, how many images, in what format, by when, and what is excluded. The contract covers the legal terms: copyright, liability, cancellation, model releases, and what happens if either side backs out. Many photographers attach the scope to the contract as an exhibit so the two travel together. Send the scope first. Once the client agrees to it, the contract is mostly boilerplate.
Decide before the shoot, and write it into the scope. A common approach: small additions that fit inside the booked hours are fine; anything that extends time on site or adds a location is billed at your overtime or half-day rate, with the client's approval by text before you continue. Having the line in writing lets you say yes on the day without absorbing the cost or arguing about it later.