Stephanie Wales, a photographer based in Amherst, refuses to refund a $750 deposit for a one-hour, weekday photo session on location at the Omni Mount Washington Resort, where my family planned to vacation to celebrate my in-law's 50th wedding anniversary in August 2020. I canceled the session nearly 12 weeks ahead of the proposed date after we had to cancel the trip because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes it impossible for a medically complex child in my family to be included, and because of the tragic death of my father-in-law. Ms. Wales claims it's against her policy to provide deposit refunds, but there was no such disclosure anywhere. It is unfair and wrong to retroactively apply a nonrefundable policy. Under the circumstances, it's also just heartless. read more