Booking & privacy policies

Your studio session

Reservations cover your selected time in Studio A. Your booking must include all setup, shooting, cleanup and teardown. Please pack up and leave the studio by your scheduled end time. The buffer between bookings is for studio turnover and does not extend your rental. Groups over 12 people are not recommended due to limited parking and studio space. Please double-check with Erik before your session. Carpooling is recommended. You can still book for more than 12 people. Tell us your backdrop, lighting and equipment needs before arrival.

Parking and studio access

Free onsite parking is limited and availability depends on how busy the barbershop is. If the lot is full, you may park at the neighboring businesses on either side of the studio on weekends when those businesses are closed. Carpooling is recommended.

The studio is on the second floor, reached by a short flight of stairs. There is no elevator or step-free access, so the studio is not wheelchair accessible. Please plan for stairs when bringing equipment or inviting guests.

Payment and confirmation

Payment is required at booking for non-members, including returning renters. Reservations are confirmed after Square verifies completed payment. Active members book through the member portal without payment at booking. Erik manages member payments, extra hours and optional services manually through 17hats; these charges do not delay confirmation. Your total is shown before checkout. Square handles payment information; this website does not store card numbers. Booking and payment confirmations are emailed to the renter and studio. Confirmed website bookings also receive reminder emails 48 hours, 24 hours and 2 hours before the session; reminders are skipped if their scheduled time has already passed or the booking is cancelled. Please keep your contact email accurate. Keep your private reservation link to check status, pay an unpaid hold, add time or cancel before the deadline.

Calendar invitations

New confirmed website bookings receive a Google Calendar invitation at the booking email when the studio calendar connection is active. Confirmed additional time updates the same invitation, and cancellations send a calendar update. Google may require you to accept the invitation before it appears on your calendar. Accepting or declining an invitation does not change or cancel your studio booking; use your booking confirmation or studio account to manage your reservation. Unpaid holds do not send invitations.

Adding more time

Use the private link in your booking email to add time in 30-minute increments, subject to availability, studio closing time and the buffer before the next booking. Review the added rental, selected hourly services and tax before paying through Square. Original coupons and session discounts do not apply to added time. Non-member extensions are confirmed only after payment; member extensions are confirmed without checkout and any extra charges are handled through 17hats; your original reservation remains in place. Adding time does not change your original start time or cancellation deadline.

Cancellations

Cancel through your private booking link at least 24 hours before your original shoot start time to receive a full refund of your booking payment, including paid extensions. Erik will issue the refund manually; it is not issued automatically when you cancel. Cancellations less than 24 hours before the start time are non-refundable; contact the studio for help. Online cancellation applies to the entire reservation, including paid extensions. Your studio time is released when cancellation is confirmed. Erik processes eligible refunds manually; bank processing times vary after the refund is issued. Contact erik@aperturealley.us for assistance. Peerspace reservations follow the terms agreed to on Peerspace.

Studio considerations

The room has low outside noise but is not completely soundproof. Please plan accordingly for sound-sensitive productions. Contact us before booking if your project needs a specific setup.

Membership bookings and included hours

Members sign in using the email linked to their membership. Membership access must be active through the session date. All active members can reserve studio time without payment at booking, even when a membership payment is due. Membership payments, extra hours and optional services are managed manually through 17hats. Unlimited plans include studio rental subject to availability and booking rules. Limited memberships include 10 studio hours per membership month with no rollover. Both completed sessions and reserved or unpaid held time count against that allowance. The reset date and any extra-hour rate are shown in the member account and agreed membership terms.

Extra hours require an approved rate and are billed separately through 17hats. If no extra-hour rate is agreed, bookings cannot exceed the included allowance online. A cancellation accepted at least 24 hours before the original start returns included hours to the same membership month; expired hours do not transfer to another month. Late cancellations and no-shows do not automatically restore hours. Cancelling a studio session does not cancel the membership or refund monthly membership dues.

Joint membership agreements

Each approved signer uses their own account. Studio management must verify the joint agreement and invite each additional signer; a signup request alone does not grant access. Accepted signers share one membership plan, term, monthly hour allowance and booking list. They can view session details, contact information and notes, and create, extend or cancel membership bookings under the same booking rules. Personal bookings outside the agreement remain separate. Membership billing is managed manually through 17hats with the primary member. Adding a signer does not create a second subscription or add included hours. Management can remove shared access; existing reservations and hours remain on the agreement until managed separately.

Your studio account

Create an ApertureAlley Studios account with your email and a unique password. A renter account is free and does not require a studio membership. Accepting an account-only invitation does not create a subscription, payment or included studio hours. Verify your email before accessing reservations linked to that address. Passwords are stored as secure hashes. Essential session cookies keep you signed in; signing out or resetting your password ends the applicable sessions. Keep your password and private reservation links confidential. Creating a renter account also adds the account email to the studio newsletter audience. Every newsletter includes a link to unsubscribe.

Information we collect

We collect your email, current phone number, current mailing address, session details and payment status needed to manage your renter account and reservations. You can update your phone and address from your account profile. You can access your own booking details after signing in or using your private booking link. Authorized studio management can access reservations to provide service. The studio may link an existing calendar reservation to your verified account email. You can see its session times, attendance and notes explicitly shared by the studio; private calendar titles and descriptions are not shown. These linked reservations remain managed through their original booking arrangement or by contacting the studio. Accepted signers on a joint agreement can also access that agreement’s membership reservations. The public calendar shows unavailable times without event titles, guest names or contact information.

How information is used

Your information is used to arrange your session, provide support and maintain booking records. Square processes payments under its own privacy policy. Google Calendar supplies studio availability. We use limited request information to prevent booking abuse.

Optional booking text messages

If you opt in when booking, ApertureAlley Studios uses Twilio to send automated booking confirmations, confirmed extensions, cancellations and up to two reminders to the mobile number you provide. Message frequency varies with booking activity. Message and data rates may apply. Text consent is optional and is not a condition of purchase. Only opt in with a number you control. Email remains the main channel for private booking links and payment details.

Reply STOP to stop studio texts or HELP for assistance. To resume, reply START and opt in again on a future booking; previous booking consents are not automatically restored. We record the number, booking consent, message content and delivery status to operate and troubleshoot notifications. Other signers on a joint agreement are not automatically enrolled. Mobile numbers and SMS consent are not sold or shared with third parties for their marketing; service providers receive the information needed to deliver messages.

Studio newsletter

Renter account emails receive occasional studio news, availability and service updates. Newsletter messages are sent individually so other readers cannot see your address. Use the unsubscribe link in any newsletter to stop those updates. Unsubscribing does not stop essential account, security, booking, payment, membership or cancellation emails. If an unsubscribed address is used for another booking or account update, it remains unsubscribed unless the studio changes the preference at the renter’s request.

Questions or privacy requests

Contact erik@aperturealley.us for access, correction or deletion requests. Some records may need to be retained for business and accounting purposes.