A good revision request names each file, says what to change, and arrives as one combined list. Check it against your quotation first, because routine selections and agreed revisions are limited to what was booked. Anything the quotation does not cover is a separate conversation about scope, and a concern that the delivery does not match the agreement belongs in the problems guides.
Most revision requests stall for one reason. The photographer cannot tell which file is meant, or which of three different comments to follow. A clear list fixes both problems, and it protects you from paying for the same change twice.
This guide sits within our wider guide to event photo delivery, editing and preservation.
What is the difference between a selection, a revision and a complaint?
These three words are often mixed up, and the right route depends on which one you mean.
- A selection is choosing which photographs go into a smaller set, such as an album or a slideshow.
- A revision is asking for a small change to a delivered photograph within the agreed editing style.
- A concern is a belief that the delivery does not match what was agreed, for example a missing moment or a different editing style.
Selections and revisions are routine. A concern is not a revision, and it is better handled through the problem guides, starting with an agreed moment that seems missing from the delivered gallery or editing that differs from the agreed expectations.
How do you name the exact files?
Every photograph should be identified in a way that cannot be mistaken. The best identifier is the file name. The second best is the gallery number, with a short description. Describe the picture in words as well, because file names can change when a gallery is exported.
A simple format works well:
| File | Change wanted | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| IMG_0412 | Crop closer on the bride and her mother | High |
| IMG_0587 | Please replace with IMG_0588 in the album set | Medium |
| IMG_0630 | Correct the caption spelling | Low |
Send the table once. If you later spot another item, add it to the same list and send the updated version, marked clearly as a replacement. Our guide on file names, folders and corrected photo versions explains how to keep versions straight.
Why combine feedback before sending it?
When a family, a committee or a team reviews photographs, comments come in from many directions. One person wants a photograph brighter, another says it is already too bright. The photographer cannot satisfy both, and may lose time asking which to follow.
Choose one person to merge the comments and settle disagreements before the list is sent. Selecting event photographs when several people have approval rights shows a simple way to do this. The result is one list, with one name on it.
What should you check against your quotation?
Before you send the list, read your quotation for three things. First, whether selection or revision rounds are included, and how many. Second, whether there is a time limit for requests. Third, whether any item you want falls outside the agreed editing style.
We do not assume what your quotation says, and neither should you. If it is silent on a point, ask before you send the list. Extra editing may be possible, and any cost is confirmed in writing before the work begins. Our guide on budgeting for proofs, selection rounds and additional editing explains how that kind of cost is usually structured.
A worked example
For example, imagine a family reviewing a gallery from a milestone birthday. Four relatives each send the organiser comments by message. One wants three photographs replaced, one wants a different crop, one points out a misspelt name on a slide, and one asks for a photograph that is not in the gallery.
The organiser merges these into a single table and checks the quotation. The replacements and the crop are routine. The spelling error is a client-side matter, because the name came from the family. The missing photograph is checked against the agreed priorities. Two of the four items are routine revisions, one is a correction the family supplies, and one is a question about the deliverable. Sorting them first means each gets the right answer.
What happens after you send the list?
We confirm in writing which items we will action, which fall outside the booked scope and what that would involve. You then approve any additional work before it starts. A corrected file is delivered under a new, clearly marked version so you never have to guess which one is current.
If you are using the delivery as a business record, keep the confirmation with your files. For booking-related support, our existing booking support page is the right place to begin, and our photo delivery acceptance checklist helps you review a gallery before you write your list.
Checklist
- Open your quotation and note the revision or selection allowance.
- List every photograph by file name or gallery number.
- State the change in one short sentence per file.
- Merge all feedback from your group into one list.
- Mark which items matter most if time is short.
- Send the list once, using the support route in your confirmation.
If you already have a booking, use the support route in your confirmation to send your list. If you are still planning, tell us in the brief how many selection or revision rounds you expect, and we will state what is included in the quotation.
Ask about revisions in our briefCommon questions
What counts as a routine revision?
Usually small, clearly described changes within the agreed editing style, such as swapping one photograph for another from the same set or correcting a name in a caption. What counts is set by your quotation, not by a general rule. If a request is outside it, we say so plainly and explain the options.
How many rounds of changes can we ask for?
The number of rounds is stated in your written quotation. We do not assume a standard number. If you are still comparing offers, ask each photographer how many rounds are included and how extra rounds are handled, then compare the answers side by side.
Can we send comments in several messages?
You can, but a single combined list is much easier to act on and to check afterwards. If several people give feedback, one person should merge it first. Our guide on selecting photographs when several people have approval rights explains how to do that.
What if the photographer did not deliver something we expected?
That is a question about the agreed deliverable, not a routine revision. Write down what the agreement says and what you received, then use the support route. Our guide on a moment that seems missing from the gallery covers that situation step by step.
Is a screenshot enough to identify a photograph?
A screenshot helps, but the file name is better because it points to exactly one image. If the gallery shows numbers instead, send the number together with a short description. Avoid vague references such as the one where Uncle is laughing.
Ask about revisions in our brief
If you already have a booking, use the support route in your confirmation to send your list. If you are still planning, tell us in the brief how many selection or revision rounds you expect, and we will state what is included in the quotation.
What happens next: You send your event details on WhatsApp. Our team reads the brief, asks what is missing, then confirms in writing whether the date, venue and coverage can be booked, with a quotation. Opening WhatsApp does not send anything, and a message is not a booking until both sides confirm.
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