I have always pad a lawyer to revview and correct my contract and,
in one or two instances, his advice has saved me many dollars. The
month after I changed 'deposit' to 'booking fee', I took a job
where the mother of the bride called my work cra* and demanded an
immediate refund. I explained the non-refundable booking fee and we
parted company. A week later she called and asked me to deliver the
proofs.
A brief explanation told her they were not part of the booking, but
she could purchase them. After a few minutes where she again told
me what a lousy photographer I was, she said she would take the
proofs for 1/2 the money I quoted, but only if I threw in the
negatives. I refused and she hung up on me.
She called back an hour later (just in time for me to down a few
aspirin) and asked what I was going to do wiith the proofs and
negatives if she didn't purchase them. I told her I usually destroy
all old proofs and negatives as they have no real value to me
(white lie on my part, but I had had enough of her by now). She
again hung up.
The next day her husband called me from his office and told me he
will pay for the proofs. No mention was made of the negatives. 15
years later and they're still in my film locker.
