Application fees, like deposits, phone interviews and the like are required because of the antics of a a group of “clients”. It doesn’t much matter if only 10% of the people are causing 90% of the time wasting …whatever the percentage is impedes everyone else in the scene. Time is a finite resource and a dead end “inquiry” or no show for a session is time that could have been used to review our genuine inquiries or have sessions with us
And historically it is not as unprecedented as people may think, at least in NY. As far back as the late 80s and early 90s Ava Taurel, Angel Stern, the Nutcracker Suite and Pandora’s Box all required a fee, often in the range of $25-$50, to be able to come in and fill out the paperwork and review the portfolio.
I can understand the frustration people may have when confronted with the cost, but as the old joke goes us clients have to accept that “I have seen the enemy and he is us” is kind of true.