Privacy Policy

  1. Introduction

Welcome to Charlotte Mae Photography. I am committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains how I collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit my website, https://charlottemaephotography.com/, and when you use my photography services. It also explains your privacy rights and how the law protects you.

This policy is written to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using my website or services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

  1. About Me (Data Controller)

For the purpose of the UK GDPR, the data controller is Charlotte Mae Photography.

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, including any requests to exercise your legal rights, please contact me using the details set out below.

  • Contact Name: Charlotte
  • Email Address: info@charlottemaephotography.com
  • Postal Address: Frimley, UK (full address available upon request for legitimate business purposes)
  • Phone Number: 07711 204 857
  1. What Personal Data I Collect

I may collect, use, store, and transfer different kinds of personal data about you, which I have grouped together as follows:

  • Identity Data: Includes first name, last name, and in the case of family and wedding photography, the names of your family members and partner.
  • Contact Data: Includes billing address, delivery address, email address, and telephone numbers.
  • Financial Data: Includes bank account and payment card details for processing payments.
  • Transaction Data: Includes details about payments to and from you and other details of services you have purchased from me.
  • Technical Data: Includes internet protocol (IP) address, your login data, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, and other technology on the devices you use to access this website.
  • Usage Data: Includes information about how you use my website and services.
  • Marketing and Communications Data: Includes your preferences in receiving marketing from me and my third parties and your communication preferences.
  • Photographic Data: Includes photographs taken during your photography session, which may contain images of you, your family, your children, and your guests. These images are considered personal data.
  • Special Category Data: In the course of providing my services, I may capture images that reveal information about your racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, health (e.g., pregnancy), or sexual orientation. I may also collect information about your children, including their age and appearance.
  1. How I Use Your Personal Data

I will only use your personal data when the law allows me to. Most commonly, I will use your personal data in the following circumstances:

  • To perform a contract with you: To provide you with my photography services, including communicating with you, taking photographs, and delivering your final images.
  • To manage our relationship: This includes notifying you about changes to my terms or privacy policy.
  • For my legitimate interests: Where it is necessary for my interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. This includes using your images for my portfolio, website, social media, and other marketing materials, but only with your explicit consent.
  • To comply with a legal obligation: For example, for tax and accounting purposes.
  • With your consent: For marketing communications or for using your images in my portfolio.
Purpose/Activity Type of Data Lawful Basis for Processing
To register you as a new client Identity, Contact Performance of a contract with you
To process and deliver your order Identity, Contact, Financial, Transaction, Photographic Performance of a contract with you
To manage our relationship Identity, Contact, Marketing and Communications Performance of a contract with you, Legitimate interests (to keep my records updated)
To administer and protect my business and this website Identity, Contact, Technical Legitimate interests (for running my business, provision of administration and IT services, network security)
To deliver relevant website content and advertisements to you Identity, Contact, Usage, Marketing and Communications, Technical Legitimate interests (to study how customers use my services, to develop them, to grow my business and to inform my marketing strategy)
To use data analytics to improve my website, services, marketing, customer relationships and experiences Technical, Usage Legitimate interests (to define types of customers for my services, to keep my website updated and relevant, to develop my business and to inform my marketing strategy)
To make suggestions and recommendations to you about services that may be of interest to you Identity, Contact, Technical, Usage, Marketing and Communications Legitimate interests (to develop my services and grow my business)
To use your images in my portfolio, on my website, on social media, and in other marketing materials Photographic, Special Category Consent
  1. Data Sharing and Third Parties

I may have to share your personal data with the parties set out below for the purposes set out in the table in section 4.

  • Service Providers: I use third-party service providers to help me operate my business, such as payment processors, professional printing labs, album companies, cloud storage providers, and email service providers.
  • Professional Advisers: Including lawyers, bankers, auditors, and insurers who provide consultancy, banking, legal, insurance, and accounting services.
  • HM Revenue & Customs, regulators, and other authorities: Who require reporting of processing activities in certain circumstances.

I require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. I do not allow my third-party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes and only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with my instructions.

  1. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

My website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of my website. This helps me to provide you with a good experience when you browse my website and also allows me to improve my site. For detailed information on the cookies I use and the purposes for which I use them, please see my Cookie Policy.

  1. Data Retention

I will only retain your personal data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes I collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements.

  • Client and booking information: I will retain your personal data for 7 years after you cease being a client for tax and legal purposes.
  • Photographs: I will retain your photographs for a period of 2 years after your session, after which they will be deleted from my systems. If you have consented to the use of your images in my portfolio, I will retain those specific images for as long as they are in use.
  1. Your Data Protection Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

  • Your right of access: You have the right to ask me for copies of your personal information.
  • Your right to rectification: You have the right to ask me to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask me to complete information you think is incomplete.
  • Your right to erasure: You have the right to ask me to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
  • Your right to restriction of processing: You have the right to ask me to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
  • Your right to object to processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
  • Your right to data portability: You have the right to ask that I transfer the personal information you gave me to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, I have one month to respond to you.

Please contact me at info@charlottemaephotography.com if you wish to make a request.

  1. Children’s Data

I offer photography services for newborns, children, and families. I require the consent of a parent or legal guardian to collect and process the personal data of a child under the age of 16. This includes taking and storing their photographs.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that I may have collected personal data from your child without your consent, please contact me immediately.

  1. International Data Transfers

Some of my external third parties may be based outside the UK so their processing of your personal data will involve a transfer of data outside the UK.

Whenever I transfer your personal data out of the UK, I ensure a similar degree of protection is afforded to it by ensuring at least one of the following safeguards is implemented:

  • I will only transfer your personal data to countries that have been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection for personal data.
  • Where I use certain service providers, I may use specific contracts approved for use in the UK which give personal data the same protection it has in the UK.
  1. Security of Your Data

I have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered, or disclosed. In addition, I limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors, and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on my instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

I have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where I am legally required to do so.

  1. Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this privacy policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated “Last Updated” date and the updated version will be effective as soon as it is accessible. I encourage you to review this privacy policy frequently to be informed of how I am protecting your information.

  1. How to Complain

If you have any concerns about my use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to me at info@charlottemaephotography.com.

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how I have used your data.

  • The ICO’s address:
  • Information Commissioner’s Office
  • Wycliffe House
  • Water Lane
  • Wilmslow
  • Cheshire
  • SK9 5AF
  • Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
  • ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk”’