This has happened twice now. I hold a date, turn down other work for it, and then the booking cancels at the last minute. Is asking for a deposit up front a normal thing to do? And how do I word it so I don’t scare off the legit clients?
— Shine is a lifestyle.
Deposits are completely standard and any legit client expects one. A non-refundable deposit, somewhere in the twenty to fifty percent range, holds the date and quietly filters out the flakes. Frame it as your policy rather than suspicion of them: something like a deposit secures your slot, with the balance due on the day. Put it in writing alongside your cancellation terms and you're covered.
— Bring a shot list, leave with a portfolio.
One tweak that keeps it fair: make the deposit non-refundable inside a cutoff window, say 48 hours, but let it transfer to a single reschedule. You stay protected and it still feels reasonable. And honestly, anyone who balks at a modest deposit is usually the booking you're better off without.
— Ask what the studio supplies.
Keep personal details out of public posts. Rates, dates and locations are the poster's own; the board does not vet them.
Pricing threads go in circles without numbers. These three have the numbers and the reasoning behind them.
BDSMModel