Return of a deposit

Counting down to Admin putting this in the Sin Bin ...  :-(

Sorry but I will fight tooth and nail to protect my reputation I have worked my socks off for 10 years and I won't have someone lie about me

I mean the model looks fine and undamaged don’t think that loop hole would work?

Unfortunately peoples financial situations differ quite widely, somebody wanting to hire a model will in all probability have sufficient funds to complete the transaction. The person receiving it may not, it is an unknown. I'm a trusting person, however, in such a situation I would not entertain making an advance payment/deposit if I had no previous knowledge or dealing with them. It's still a risk if you know them, by nature of the work income can be sporadic in many cases.

Mutual trust..   

If I was asked for a deposit, I'd have to trust the model that if she didn't proceed with the shoot, she would behave honestly and ethically and refund my money.  However, if I did not pay a deposit and if I were the one to cancel, she would have to trust me that I'd behave honestly and ethically and compensate her.  

But that's in my ideal little world where everyone behaves fairly.  

I’ve paid deposits when booking models. £20 and £50. I didn’t mind but I wouldn’t want to do it every time I booked a model, but if it keeps them happy it’s ok occasionally.

I have paid deposits but I'd be very select about who I did pay them to. I really can't afford to just lose money when it takes months to save to do one shoot and I've heard too many stories about deposits not being paid back. 

I usually shoot from home and provide my address to the model can work out travel, so if I cancelled the model knows where I live haha. 

I have no problem paying a deposit, or even in advance for the full amount, when it's paying a studio for a slot on a models studio day. I know in most cases the money is held by the third party studio and so I have an address and feel the money is safer. An independent third party I think is the best option, but otherwise I'd probably insist on paying through paypal goods and services. 

Never pay deposits. PP even says that it is not recommended in their advice.

I paid a deposit to two well known established models on here for a duo studio day that they arranged through here.  One of the models got ill (?) and there was supposed to be a reschedule but both models stopped reading any messages from me on here.  In my view this is fraud and I raised the issue with admin to be told that the site does not get involved with financial issues and that I could not give a 'not recommended' feedback because the 'postponement' occurred more than three days before the event (it was a week). I learned afterwards that the models did not pay a deposit to the studio.

I cannot name and shame according to site rules but they and I know who they are, and I will never book either of them again (I had previously shot one of them): I do of course tell fellow photographers on the occasions that we meet. 

As with Orson on the two occasions in fifteen years that I have been unable to make a booked shoot I have offered the model the full agreed fee and in both cases we agreed a postponement and the shoot took place at a later date.

I must add that as a result the only deposit I will countenance these days is with a studio where at least I know the address for sure and I can if ultimately necessary take action to rectify any breach of contract. As far as I am concerned the two models have poisoned the well for others.

Asking for a deposit surely indicates a lack of trust? If I agree to shoot with a model I give her all the information she asked for to make a check on me. If that is not enough, I would  question my trust in her.

I have never been asked for nor paid a deposit. If a model did ever request one I would no longer be interested in a shoot, even if the model withdrew the request.

That's not to say that I don't sympathise with models who are affected by photographers who fail to fulfil bookings. However, if the 72 hours permitted by PP for late cancellation feedback is insufficient time for models to rebook slots, I suggest those models appeal to site admin to extend the time period to something they regard as more reasonable.

The reputational damage for a model who takes deposits are pretty dire if she has to cancel (justifiably or otherwise) and isn't in a position to refund a deposit due to day-to-day demands on her finances. I've seen modelling careers stop dead in such circumstances.

K-arl said

Asking for a deposit surely indicates a lack of trust? If I agree to shoot with a model I give her all the information she asked for to make a check on me. If that is not enough, I would  question my trust in her.

I fully understand travelling models requiring deposits as they have to pay for travel in advance and might have to pay deposits for accommodation, too. If they got burned by photographers not paying up and/or cancelling last minute it makes sense for them to ask for a deposit. Same for shoot events where a location has to be rented and a late cancellation would result in a substantial loss. Can't pay bills with trust in the photographers.