Tag Archives: waiting list

Waiting list update + holiday schedule

August 20, 2008 – 7:30 am

I am now booked solid for photo shoots through the 18th of September. That is for both weekend AND weekday shoots of any length, in any location. This does NOT apply to the folks we are already in communications with, have indicated they would like to do a shoot, but that we have yet to set a firm date with for the first two weeks in September, OR anyone we may need to reschedule with this week due to the weather (grrrr…).

I am also booked up for new art commissions until early October. (That doesn’t include the two people on the waiting list we have promised to start with the 3rd week in September!). I am planning on a November 10th cutoff date for start dates for holiday art commissions this year. That means if you’d like to order a custom art piece for a holiday gift, you need to contact me NO LATER THAN November 7th, and plan to get your images to me NO LATER THAN November 10th. Sorry to be so firm but you wouldn’t believe how many people contact me to request a custom commissioned art piece within the week or two before Christmas! 

FYI: photography + prints can be done up to 14 days prior to Christmas (specialty products can take up to 6 weeks). But really, for both of our sanity, please don’t wait that long.

So, the NEXT free dates are:

Photo shoots:

first open weekdays: Weds. 9/17 + Thurs. 9/18  (now booked), open: 9/23-9/25

first open weekend: Sat 9/27 and Sun 9/28 

Decopaw art start dates:

earliest date: Thurs. 10/2-Fri 10/3-ish. Will be updated as things change.

Also, depending on how my upcoming studio shoots go (a handful of doggie models planned for the last Sunday of this month), I *may* decide to offer short studio shoots this fall as an adjunct to my location shoots, for those who would really like to give a gift for the holidays. This remains to be seen and depends largely on a) the studio schedule, b) my lighting situation, c) how good my studio shots end up being (they might be terrible, who knows!) and d) how many regular location shoots I end up scheduling, and e) how full my art commission plate is.

I can’t believe I am already talking about the holidays, but given how fast time goes by, and how busy my schedule usually gets starting in September (as if THIS isn’t busy, lol!), I need to start planning in advance.

To the workshops folks who have contacted me, I am in the process of catching up with everyone, and intend to reply to every email within the next 2 days. There are 23 people on my list to contact so it will take some time but I promise to get back to everyone! There is still plenty of room in the October workshop, so never fear if you’d like to register! I know folks want to get good rates on airfare, so I will do my very best to get back to you asap! Also, if you have requested to be placed on the waiting list for the September workshop, you are on it, I promise!

Lastly, I haven’t taken a vacation since the fall of 2005, so at the very first possible chance I am going to split town for a week. This will most likely be during the 2nd week in October, which is not the most ideal time of year for me to try and pull away from the biz but I just have to. I won’t be able to survive the holidays without a break between now and then. 

Thank you sincerely for being so patient with me! It is the best gift I could receive right now. :-)

By Jamie 'Cowbelly' | Posted in Studio Stuff, miscellaneous randomness | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)

waiting list + gift certificate change

August 7, 2008 – 2:46 pm

It pains me to write this post, because I want to be able to say yes to everyone and pride myself on my ability to be flexible, but as of today I now have a waiting list for new clients for both Decopaw art commissions and photography (and prints and any other products from past clients). “Even for one small print?” Yep, even for one small print!

Details:

New art commissions waiting list: 6 weeks.

I schedule commissions according to start date, so we are looking at a late September start date. That is very close to when my holiday commissions start, so I have a feeling I will have a holiday commission cut-off date somewhere around early November. If you follow this blog and are planning on commissioning art for the holidays, now would be the time to contact me to get on the waiting list.

Also, it’s very likely I will be heading out of town for 7 days in mid-October, so plan for that. I will also be taking 14 days off starting December 23rd. I don’t foresee any other weekends out of town this year other than those two. 

Photography waiting list: 2-6 weeks, depending on type of shoot and location. (this does not apply to those I have already communicated with but have yet to schedule). 

Shoots for sick and/or elderly dogs can definitely be expedited (please contact us!), but expect the wait time from shoot to online gallery to be longer than the standard 7 days. 

Gift certificate change: 

In the past we provided gift certificates for specific products and services, leaving the dollar value off the card. So it would read something like: 14×16 Decopaw art canvas for one pet. 

That has now changed so that instead of indicating the specific product, we need to indicate the dollar amount with a general description of what the gift certificate can be used for. This is because federal laws prohibit small businesses from applying expiration dates to cards, and it has become very common for folks to wait a year or two to use a gift card- often times for products or services I no longer carry/provide. Given the youth of my business I know changes are inevitable, hence the new change to gift certificate policies. 

The new policy is: all gift certificates must have a dollar value written on the card, and each card will indicate that prices are subject to change at any time and without notice. 

An example of how one might read: $350 in Decopaw art or photography products and/or services from Cowbelly Pet Photography. Redeemable at at time. Please allow a minimum of 14 days notice. Prices are subject to change at any time without notice. 

Also, due to our full client board, we will now require a MINIMUM of 14 days advance notice to redeem gift certificates. 

I hate having to say no to people as I like to say: “I’m not in the business of disappointing people”, but my plate is so overly full at the moment I’m not doing anyone any favors by bringing on new clients. I currently have over 30 clients on my ‘board’ (my work task board), and that list will grow to about 38 people in the next 14 days. Yikes!

I’d also like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to anyone and everyone who has had to wait for things from Christina and I: whether it be a return phone call or art proofs, or a gallery link, or waiting to receive registration forms for the workshops. We have both been doing the very best that we can and working hard to keep deadlines, so any patience coming our way is so very appreciated!

Thank you sincerely for being so patient with us!!

With that said, it’s back to work with me! 

Hope y’all are having a great week. :-)

By Jamie 'Cowbelly' | Posted in Studio Stuff | Also tagged , | Comments (1)