Build a Photography Booking and Deposit Flow

Tables: bookings (client_name, client_email, client_phone, session_type, session_date, location, total_price, deposit_amount, balance_due, status, paystack_deposit_ref, authorization_code, gallery_url).

async function createBookingAndDeposit(clientData, sessionDate, sessionType, totalPrice) {
  var deposit = Math.ceil(totalPrice * 0.5); // 50% deposit
  var reference = 'PHOTO-DEP-' + Date.now();

  var booking = await db.bookings.create({
    ...clientData,
    session_date: sessionDate,
    session_type: sessionType,
    total_price: totalPrice,
    deposit_amount: deposit,
    balance_due: totalPrice - deposit,
    status: 'pending',
    paystack_deposit_ref: reference,
  });

  var res = await fetch('https://api.paystack.co/transaction/initialize', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { Authorization: 'Bearer ' + process.env.PAYSTACK_SECRET_KEY, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      email: clientData.email,
      amount: deposit,
      currency: 'NGN',
      reference,
      callback_url: 'https://yoursite.com/bookings/confirmed/' + booking.id,
      metadata: { booking_id: booking.id, payment_type: 'deposit', session_type: sessionType },
      label: 'Photography Deposit - ' + sessionType,
    }),
  });
  return (await res.json()).data.authorization_url;
}

// Webhook: confirm deposit and save auth code
if (event.event === 'charge.success' && event.data.metadata.payment_type === 'deposit') {
  var bookingId = event.data.metadata.booking_id;
  await db.bookings.update(bookingId, {
    status: 'confirmed',
    authorization_code: event.data.authorization.authorization_code, // save for balance charge
  });
  await sendBookingConfirmationEmail(bookingId);
}

// Photographer marks gallery as ready — triggers balance collection
async function deliverGallery(bookingId, galleryUrl) {
  var booking = await db.bookings.findById(bookingId);
  await db.bookings.update(bookingId, { gallery_url: galleryUrl, status: 'gallery_ready' });

  // Option 1: charge balance automatically using saved auth code
  if (booking.authorization_code) {
    var res = await fetch('https://api.paystack.co/charge/authorization', {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: { Authorization: 'Bearer ' + process.env.PAYSTACK_SECRET_KEY, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
      body: JSON.stringify({
        email: booking.client_email,
        amount: booking.balance_due,
        authorization_code: booking.authorization_code,
        metadata: { booking_id: bookingId, payment_type: 'balance' },
      }),
    });
    var data = await res.json();
    // If auto-charge fails, fall back to payment link email
    if (!data.status) await sendBalancePaymentLink(booking);
  } else {
    // Option 2: send a payment link for the balance
    await sendBalancePaymentLink(booking);
  }
}

async function sendBalancePaymentLink(booking) {
  var res = await fetch('https://api.paystack.co/transaction/initialize', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { Authorization: 'Bearer ' + process.env.PAYSTACK_SECRET_KEY, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      email: booking.client_email,
      amount: booking.balance_due,
      metadata: { booking_id: booking.id, payment_type: 'balance' },
    }),
  });
  var link = (await res.json()).data.authorization_url;
  await sendEmail(booking.client_email, 'Your gallery is ready!', { link, gallery_preview: booking.gallery_url });
}

The gallery link can be gated behind payment: only show the full resolution photos after balance_due = 0 in your database. Show a watermarked preview with a payment prompt until the balance is cleared.

See build a hotel booking and deposit system for the same deposit-then-balance pattern in accommodation.

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