Privacy policy

This notice explains how McConnell Photography collects and uses personal information. It applies to website visitors, people who make enquiries, clients, wedding guests and anyone photographed as part of the services I provide.

Who is responsible for your information?

McConnell Photography is the data controller. I am Charlotte McConnell, a photographer based in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, United Kingdom. For privacy questions or requests, email charlotte@mcconnell.photography or telephone 07888 640689.

Information I collect

Depending on how you interact with me, I may collect:

• your name, email address, telephone number and postal address;
• enquiry, event and booking details, including dates, venues, plans and messages;
• contract, payment, invoice and accounting information;
• photographs and video containing clients, guests, suppliers and members of the public;
• correspondence, feedback and records of choices about portfolio or marketing use;
• technical information such as approximate location, device, browser, pages viewed and referral source when Google Analytics is enabled with consent; and
• information you choose to provide that may reveal sensitive details, for example accessibility, health, religious or cultural requirements relevant to photographing an event.

How I obtain information

I normally receive information directly from you through the website enquiry form, email, telephone, WhatsApp, meetings, contracts and the photography service itself. A person arranging an event may provide information about other participants. I may also receive necessary details from venues, planners, suppliers, public sources or a person authorised to act for you.

Why I use information and my lawful bases

• Enquiries and bookings: to respond, provide quotations, plan and deliver photography, administer galleries and fulfil contracts. The bases are steps at your request before a contract and performance of a contract.
• Client administration: to manage payments, invoices, records, complaints and legal claims. The bases are contract, legal obligation and legitimate interests in running and protecting the business.
• Photography at events: to create and deliver the agreed photographic record. For clients this is necessary for the contract; for guests and other participants I rely on legitimate interests in documenting the event in the ordinary and reasonably expected way.
• Portfolio and promotion: to show examples of my work on my website, galleries, awards, printed material or social media. I rely on legitimate interests where the use is proportionate and expected, together with the permissions and preferences agreed with clients. Where consent is the appropriate basis, it can be withdrawn for future use.
• Website analytics: to understand how visitors find and use this website. Google Analytics is the only optional analytics service and is based on consent for analytics cookies and related processing.
• Security and service improvement: to prevent spam or misuse, diagnose faults and improve the website and service. The basis is legitimate interests in operating a secure and effective business.
• Legal and regulatory duties: to meet tax, accounting, insurance and other legal requirements. The basis is legal obligation.

If special-category information is genuinely necessary, I will use it only where a valid additional condition applies, normally explicit consent or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. Please avoid sending sensitive information unless it is needed.

When information is required

You do not have to make an enquiry or accept optional analytics. Information marked as required in an enquiry or booking process is needed so I can respond or perform the contract. If it is not provided, I may be unable to offer or deliver the requested service.

Who receives information?

I share personal information only where necessary with trusted service providers and professional advisers. These may include website and email hosting providers, secure cloud storage and backup providers, online gallery and print fulfilment services, payment and accounting providers, second photographers or editors, insurers, legal or accounting advisers, and Google Analytics where consent has been given. Event details may also be shared with venues or suppliers where needed to deliver the service.

I may disclose information where required by law, to protect legal rights or in connection with a sale or restructuring of the business. I do not sell personal information.

International transfers

Some suppliers, including Google and online technology providers, may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, I use providers that rely on a UK adequacy regulation or appropriate safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to approved contractual clauses, or another lawful transfer mechanism.

How long I keep information

• Unsuccessful enquiries are normally deleted within 24 months after the last meaningful contact.
• Client correspondence, contracts and delivery records are normally kept for up to seven years after the service ends, where needed for tax, insurance, contractual or legal purposes.
• Financial and accounting records are kept for the period required by applicable law.
• Photographs and working files may be retained long term as part of the photographic archive, to provide replacement products, preserve the creative record and establish or defend legal rights. Public portfolio use is reviewed when a valid objection or withdrawal request is received.
• Google Analytics data is retained according to the settings in the Analytics property and is deleted or aggregated in accordance with those settings.

I may keep information for longer where a dispute, legal claim, safeguarding issue or legal duty requires it. When information is no longer needed, it is deleted, anonymised or securely archived.

Security

I use proportionate technical and organisational measures to protect information, including access controls, secure accounts, encrypted connections, reputable service providers and backups. No internet or storage system is completely secure, but access is limited to those who need the information for the purposes described above.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law gives you rights to:

• be informed about how your information is used;
• request access to a copy of your personal information;
• ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected;
• ask for information to be erased;
• ask for processing to be restricted;
• receive certain information in a portable format;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing; and
• withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent, without affecting earlier lawful use.

These rights are not absolute and exemptions may apply, particularly where photographs also contain other people or must be retained for legal reasons. I do not use personal information to make solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.

Requests and complaints

To exercise a right or raise a concern, contact charlotte@mcconnell.photography. I may need to verify your identity and will normally respond within the period required by law.

You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK supervisory authority, through ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or by telephoning 0303 123 1113. I would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.

Other websites and updates

This website links to services such as WhatsApp and client galleries. Those organisations control their own processing when you follow an external link, so please read their privacy information. I may update this notice when services, suppliers or legal requirements change. The current version and revision date will remain on this page.