Privacy Policy

Sophie Smith Photography

Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains how Sophie Smith Photography collects, uses, stores and shares personal information when you visit our website, make an enquiry, book a photography session or subscribe to our mailing list.

Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

  • Your name, email address, telephone number and address.

  • Booking details, preferred locations and photography preferences.

  • Names and ages of people participating in your session, including children, where needed to plan your session.

  • Information you choose to share about your pregnancy, due date, accessibility needs or other circumstances relevant to your session.

  • Photographs and, where agreed, video recordings taken during your session.

  • Correspondence, questionnaires, consent records, invoices and payment-status information.

  • Technical information about website visits, such as IP address, device and browser information, pages viewed and cookie data.

Please only provide information that is relevant to your enquiry or session. If you share another person’s information, please ensure you have their permission or appropriate authority to do so.

How we collect information

We generally collect information directly from you through website forms, booking forms, questionnaires, email, telephone, social media messages and photography sessions.

Information may also be collected through the service providers that support our website, bookings, payments and gallery delivery.

You can browse our website without submitting your contact details. However, we may be unable to arrange or deliver a photography session without the information needed to provide that service.

How we use information

We use personal information to:

  • Respond to enquiries and organise bookings.

  • Plan and provide photography sessions.

  • Edit photographs, deliver galleries and fulfil print or product orders.

  • Manage payments, invoices and business records.

  • Communicate about your session and provide customer support.

  • Send newsletters, offers and mini-session announcements where you have subscribed or otherwise agreed to receive them.

  • Maintain and improve our website and services.

  • Meet applicable legal obligations and resolve disputes.

We do not sell your personal information.

Photographs and permission to share

Identifiable photographs are treated as personal information.

Taking photographs and delivering your gallery are part of providing your booked service. Permission to use identifiable photographs publicly—for example, on our website, social media, advertising or portfolio—is handled separately through our consent or image-release process.

You can decline promotional use of your photographs without affecting the care provided during your session.

For children, we seek permission from a parent or guardian with appropriate authority before promotional use.

If you wish to withdraw permission for future promotional use, please contact us. We will discuss removing photographs from channels we control. We may be unable to recall printed materials already distributed or copies shared independently by others.

Children’s information

Family and newborn photography may involve collecting information and photographs relating to children. We collect only what is reasonably needed to plan and provide the session, and communicate about children’s bookings through their parent or guardian.

Sharing information with service providers

We may share information with providers who help us operate our business, including website hosting, booking systems, gallery hosting, cloud storage, email services, payment processing, print laboratories and professional advisers.

We share information only as reasonably needed for these services. Payment providers handle payment details under their own privacy and security arrangements.

We may also disclose information where required or authorised by law.

Overseas storage and processing

Some service providers may store or process personal information outside Australia.

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We take reasonable steps to assess the privacy and security arrangements of providers entrusted with client information.

Cookies and website analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to support its operation. Depending on the tools enabled, these may also help us understand website traffic or measure marketing activity.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect website functionality.

Third-party websites and platforms linked from our website have their own privacy policies.

Marketing communications

If you subscribe to our mailing list, we may send photography news, offers and session announcements.

You can unsubscribe using the link in our marketing emails or by contacting us. Unsubscribing does not stop essential communications about an existing booking or purchase.

Storage, security and retention

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against misuse, loss, unauthorised access, alteration and disclosure.

No online transmission or storage system is completely secure. Please take care when sharing gallery links or access details with others.

We retain information and photographs for as long as reasonably needed to deliver our services, maintain relevant records and meet applicable legal obligations. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to securely delete or de-identify it.

Gallery availability and photograph retention are subject to your booking terms. Please download and back up your delivered photographs.

Access, corrections and deletion requests

You can contact us to request access to, or correction of, personal information we hold about you. You may also ask us to delete information.

We may need to verify your identity. Some information may need to be retained for legal, accounting or other legitimate purposes. If we cannot fulfil a request, we will explain why.

Privacy questions and complaints

If you have a privacy question or concern, please contact:

Sophie Smith Photography
Email: hello@sophiesmithphotography.com.au
Website: https://www.sophiesmithphotography.com.au/

Please describe your concern and provide a way for us to contact you. We aim to acknowledge complaints within seven business days and provide a response within 30 days, or explain if more time is needed.

If you remain dissatisfied, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au, where the matter falls within its jurisdiction.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our services, information-handling practices or applicable requirements change. The latest version will be published on this page with an updated date.