Base delivery is the edited gallery your quotation describes. Retouching, albums and prints are elective production work that depends on quantity, size, materials and the level of finishing. Ask for each as a separate line with its specification, and decide later if you are unsure.
Many quotations separate the photographs from the products made from them. That separation is helpful. It lets you buy the record first and decide on the finished objects later.
This page belongs to our pricing and quotation guide. It helps you tell base delivery from elective production, and ask the right questions about each. For the wider choice of formats, see choosing photography formats and optional outputs.
What counts as base delivery?
Base delivery is what the quotation says you receive for the coverage price: a number or range of edited images, in a stated format, through a stated gallery, by a stated date. Basic corrections are normally part of this.
Our guide on edited photographs, retouching and RAW files explains the editing levels. The key point for pricing is that the quotation should describe the edit level of the base set, so you know what a later request adds.
What is optional?
Three groups of work are usually elective.
- Retouching: detailed work on selected images, such as removing distractions or refining skin tones. It depends on the number of images and the changes requested. See what retouching can and cannot change.
- Albums: a designed, printed book. It depends on size, page count, materials and design time.
- Prints: individual prints, enlargements or framed pieces. They depend on size, quantity, paper and finish.
A quotation may list these as add-ons or leave them for later. Either is acceptable if it is clear.
Which specifications change the amount?
The table shows what each product depends on. Use it to ask for the right details.
| Product | What changes the amount |
|---|---|
| Retouching | Number of images, depth of work, number of revisions |
| Album | Size, pages, cover and materials, images per page, design rounds |
| Prints | Size, quantity, paper, finish, mounting or framing |
| Digital variants | Number of crops or sizes. See delivery in several resolutions |
None of these needs a figure on this page. A specification gives a supplier what they need to price it, and gives you what you need to compare.
A worked example
For example, imagine a hypothetical family celebration. The family wants a gallery now, a small album for grandparents and a few enlargements for the home.
A sensible plan is to buy the gallery first. After delivery, the family chooses the images, then asks for an album and print quotation based on real selections. That way, the specification matches what they actually have. If they had decided before the event, they might have chosen the wrong size or number of pages.
Planning for later orders
Ask three questions at the quotation stage. Will the supplier hold the images long enough for a later order? Will the price for extras be stated when you order? And what format do you receive for printing? Our comparison tool lets you record the answers.
If budget is tight, optional items are among the first to defer. The budget scenarios tool can show a plan with and without them.
Questions to ask before you order an album
An album is a design project, so a few answers up front save rounds of changes later.
- Who chooses the images, and who gives the final approval of the layout?
- How many design rounds are included, and what counts as a new round?
- Can a page be changed after the proof, and what happens to the delivery date?
- Will the printed colours match the screen proofs?
Write the answers into the quotation. Families and committees often have several opinions, so naming one approver keeps the project moving.
Image quality and print size
A digital image that looks fine on a screen may not suit a large print. Ask what resolution and file type you receive, and the largest print size they support. Do this before you order a big enlargement, not after.
What we do
We list retouching, albums and prints separately from the base gallery in the quotation, with the specification each needs. If you are unsure, we suggest you decide after you have seen the gallery. Any optional work is quoted and confirmed in writing before it begins.
Checklist
- Ask which editing is included in the base gallery.
- Ask for retouching, albums and prints as separate lines.
- Request the specification: size, pages, paper, finish.
- Ask whether later orders are allowed and for how long.
- Check whether image resolution suits your print sizes.
- Confirm who designs and approves the album layout.
Tell us whether you expect to print or only share digitally. We will list optional items separately in the quotation, so you can add them when you know what you need.
Quote our photos with optional extrasCommon questions
Is retouching included in the edited gallery?
Standard editing, such as colour and exposure correction, is usually part of the edited gallery. Detailed retouching of individual images is a different level of work. Ask the supplier to describe what each includes, using our guide on what retouching can and cannot change.
Can I add an album or prints after the event?
Often yes, but arrangements differ. Ask whether the quotation allows later orders, whether the price is held and how long the images are kept. Decide the specification when you order, not at booking.
What changes the price of an album?
Usually the number of pages, the size, the cover and materials, the number of images placed and the amount of design work. Ask for these specifications in writing so you can compare options.
Are print sizes and quantities fixed?
They are set by the order. Price normally changes with size, quantity, paper and framing. Ask for a specification list, and check whether the files you receive are suitable for the print sizes you want.
Quote our photos with optional extras
Tell us whether you expect to print or only share digitally. We will list optional items separately in the quotation, so you can add them when you know what you need.
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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