Why Photographers Ask for a Deposit
Let’s talk deposits.
Some of the questions I am frequently asked is whether or not a deposit is required to reserve dates & services, when that deposit should be paid, & why that’s important.
1. Absolutely!
2. Most contracts actually include a clause that specifically states that a non-refundable deposit is required when you book, accompanying a signed contract. If you sign the contract but do not pay your deposit, dates and services will not be reserved as your contract is not valid without payment.
3. Deposits (alongside of contracts) give security to businesses that provide services & they provide security for the clients that want those services. It insures & commits both parties. Photographers put a lot of energy, time, money, & resources into the “client experience.” If a client has to back out of their date for any reason, it’s a business loss. We’ve lost our client. We’ve also lost potential clients, usually that we turned away because we were already booked for their date. We don’t have enough time to fill that date, so we take the hit. Without a deposit, not only would we lose planned profit, but we also wasted any of the energy, time, money, & resources we personally invested. The same is equally true for a client who “booked” a photographer that did not acquire a signed contract + deposit. You could book a photographer that might flake on you because there was nothing that set the dates & services you inquired for, in stone. With a deposit, a photographer has something to cover at least a portion of their loss of business.
So, if you are thinking about hiring a photographer soon, know that there needs to be a signed contract + paid deposit the day that you book. Photographers do vary on how much they require up front & when balances are due.
Your memories are a big deal to us, which means that we don’t take your investment lightly. We don’t want to take advantage of you & we don’t want to be taken advantage of. It’s important that we are on the same page & that there is always freedom to ask questions.
XO, Dakota