Privacy Policy

Thank you for your interest in Gaffney Studio and for taking the time to review our privacy policy. We value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.

1. Introduction

This privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") explains how Gaffney Studio collects, uses, and protects personal data that we may collect from you as a customer. As the data controller responsible for your personal data, we provide you with information on what data we collect, why we collect it, how it is used, the lawful basis for processing your personal data, and what your rights are under the GDPR.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following information from you:

Personal Information: This includes your name, address, email address, phone number, as well as the names, dates of birth, gender, and other details about your family members and other participants in a photography session, along with any other information you provide to us.
Payment Information: Information about your debit/credit card and bank account details, provided by you to our payment service providers, which we require for processing payments for our goods and services.
Other Information: Personal details you choose to provide when corresponding with us by phone, or email.

During our photography sessions, we may create photographs that may identify you, your family members, and other participants. These photographs may be produced in both print and digital formats. It is your responsibility to ensure that all participants in a photography session have been provided with a copy of this privacy policy.

3. How We Use Your Personal Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

To provide you with our services, create and deliver the products you have requested, and contact you regarding your use of our services. This use is necessary to respond to or implement your request and for the performance of the contract between you and us.
For certain legitimate business interests, which include:

Dealing with any inquiries or complaints you make.
Providing postal communications that we believe will be of interest to you.
Fulfilling your request to delete your data or be removed from our marketing lists, while keeping basic data to identify you and prevent further unwanted processing.
Complying with legal obligations, responding to requests from competent authorities, protecting our operations, rights, safety, or property, and enforcing or defending legal rights or preventing damage.

With your consent, we may use your photographs to promote and advertise our business, including their use in printed publications, presentations, promotional materials, our website, digital advertising, and social media forums such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
We may provide you with information about goods, services, events, and other promotions that may interest you. We will contact you by email only with your consent, given at the time you provided us with your personal data.
We may use your personal data for other purposes to which you have consented at the time of providing your data.

We ensure that our legitimate interests in processing your personal data are balanced with your rights and interests under data protection laws. You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data based on our legitimate interests.

4. Sharing of Your Personal Information

We may share your personal data with third parties in the following situations:

Service Providers: We engage selected third parties who act on our behalf to support our operations, such as payment service providers, IT suppliers and contractors, providers of specialist services (retouching, printers, framers, book binders), and our client software provider (Studio Ninja). These parties may access, process, or store your personal data solely for the purpose of performing the services we have requested and in accordance with our instructions.
Legal Obligations: We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or if we believe that such action is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect and defend our rights or property, or protect the safety of our customers or others.
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your personal data may be transferred to the acquiring entity or merged with the acquiring entity's data.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration. We use industry-standard security technologies and procedures to safeguard the personal information we collect.

However, please note that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We will retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The criteria used to determine the appropriate retention period may vary depending on the type of personal data and the applicable laws.

7. Your Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you and receive a copy of that data.
Right to Rectification: You have the right to request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to Erasure: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances, such as when the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or if you withdraw your consent.
Right to Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal data under certain circumstances, such as when you contest the accuracy of the data or when the processing is unlawful.
Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit that data to another data controller.
Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Right to Withdraw Consent: If we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
Right to Lodge a Complaint: If you believe that we have violated your rights under the GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority in your country.

8. Social Media Policy & Usage

We may provide social media features on our website that enable you to share information and interact with various social media platforms. Any personal information or content you choose to share through such features is subject to the respective social media platform's privacy policy and your privacy settings on those platforms. We encourage you to review the privacy policies and settings of the social media platforms you use to understand how they collect, use, and share your information.

Please note that any content you post on our social media pages, such as comments, photos, or videos, may be visible to others depending on your privacy settings and the platform's policies. We cannot control how other users may use or disclose the information you share on social media. Therefore, we recommend exercising caution and avoiding sharing sensitive personal information through these platforms.

9. External Website Links & Third Parties

Our website may contain links to external websites or resources that are not operated or controlled by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these third-party websites. Visiting these websites is at your own risk, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

We may also engage third-party service providers, such as hosting companies, analytics providers, or payment processors, to assist in operating our website or conducting our business. These third parties may have access to your personal information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.

While we strive to work with reputable third parties, we cannot guarantee their privacy practices or the security of your information when you interact with them. We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any third-party services or websites before providing them with your personal information.

10. Emailing List & Marketing Messages

By providing us with your email address, either through subscribing to our emailing list or by booking a call with us (which includes your consent to be added to our list), you agree to receive promotional messages, newsletters, or other marketing communications from us. Your consent to add your email to our list will be explicitly requested during the booking process, ensuring you are fully informed and agree to this use of your email. You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link provided in the email or by contacting us directly. Please note, opting out of marketing communications does not apply to transactional or service-related messages, such as confirmations or updates regarding your purchases or account.

11. Downloads and Media Files

Our website may offer downloadable resources or media files, such as software, images, documents, or audio/video files. Any files downloaded from our website are at your own risk. We recommend exercising caution and using up-to-date antivirus software to scan any downloaded files for viruses or other malicious code.

We are not responsible for any damages to your computer system or loss of data resulting from downloading or using files obtained from our website. We encourage you to verify the authenticity and integrity of the downloaded files before opening or executing them.

12. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. Any updates or changes will be posted on our website, and the revised Privacy Policy will be effective from the date of posting.

13. Payment Information

When you make a purchase on our website, we may collect certain payment information from you, such as your credit card number, billing address, and other payment details. This information is securely transmitted to and processed by our third-party payment processors. We do not store or retain your complete payment information on our servers.

Please note that our payment processors have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review those policies to understand how they collect, use, and protect your payment information.

14. Data Transfers

If you are accessing our website or services from a country outside the jurisdiction in which we operate, please be aware that your personal information may be transferred to and stored in servers located in different countries. By using our website or providing us with your personal information, you consent to the transfer, storage, and processing of your information in countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws than those in your jurisdiction.

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that any international data transfers comply with applicable laws and provide adequate protection for your personal information.

15. Use of Cookies

Our website utilizes cookies and similar technologies, such as small files or pieces of text that are downloaded to a visitor's device when accessing the website or app. For information about viewing the cookies dropped on your device, you can refer to The cookies Squarespace uses.

Our website uses cookies to enhance the browsing experience, analyze website traffic, and personalize content and advertisements. These cookies are essential for the proper functioning of the site and are categorized into two types: functional and required cookies, and analytics and performance cookies.

Functional and required cookies are always used to securely serve this website to you. These cookies, powered by Squarespace, our hosting platform, ensure the secure delivery of our site.

Analytics and performance cookies are utilized when you acknowledge our cookie banner. These cookies enable us to gather valuable insights into site traffic, activity, and other data.

By using our website, you consent to the use of cookies for the purposes mentioned above. However, you have the option to manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect certain features of our website and may result in a suboptimal user experience.

For more detailed information about our use of cookies, please review our Cookies Policy.

We are committed to providing a seamless and personalized experience on our website, and cookies play a crucial role in achieving that goal.

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at:

Email: info@gaffneystudio.com

17. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We encourage you to review this policy periodically for any updates.

Thank you for reviewing our Privacy Policy. We want to assure you that we prioritize the security and confidentiality of your personal information.

Last Updated: February 26th, 2024.