Appreciation post: a photographer in Chicago told me to never take a deposit under 50%

I had a person book a big branding shoot for their new store, and they only wanted to put down 25% upfront. The photographer I know, Sarah, said that was a red flag and to stick to my 50% rule. Sure enough, the client ghosted me two days before the shoot and I lost a whole day of work. Anyone else have a specific payment rule that saved them from a bad situation?

3 comments

3 Comments

henry15025d ago

Is it really that serious? People flake sometimes, it's part of doing business. A strict rule won't stop every bad client.

derek_ross25d agoMost Upvoted

Remember that time I waited three weeks for a client to send files? They ghosted after I blocked off my calendar, then hit me up months later like nothing happened. That's not just flaking, it shows zero respect for your time. A clear rule sets the tone from the start and filters out the people who aren't serious. Sure, some might slip through, but it saves you from the worst of it. Letting it slide just teaches people they can waste your time for free.

max_patel125d ago

Last year I had a client who was two weeks late on a deposit, but they ended up being my biggest project all quarter. Sometimes flexibility pays off more than a hard rule.