This privacy policy sets out how Photographic Synergy Ltd uses and protects any information that you give us when you use our website, make an inquiry or booking by telephone or online, or talk with us face-to-face in the street or at our marketing stand.

Photographic Synergy is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using our website, on the telephone or face-to-face, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy policy. Registered Office: Willows Activity Farm, Coursers Road, London Colney, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 0PF, UK. Company number 07159567.

We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. Any changes to the Privacy Policy will be communicated via our website and email. This website privacy policy was updated: 8th July 2021.

What we collect

Photographic Synergy only processes personal data for core business purposes which has been obtained with opt-in consent, in accordance with The Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We may collect, store, and use the following kinds of personal information:

1. name and postal address
2. contact information including phone number and email address
3. demographic information such as postcode, preferences, dates of birth and interests
4. information about your computer and about your visits to and use of this website (including but not limited to your IP address, geographical location, browser type and version, operating system, referral source, length of visit, page views, website navigation)
5. information that you provide to us for the purpose of subscribing to our website services, special offers, competitions, email notifications and/or newsletters
6. information relating to any transactions carried out between you and us on or in relation to this website, including information relating to any purchases you make of our goods or services

What we do with the information we gather

We require personal information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service and in particular for the following reasons:

1. Internal record keeping
2. We may use the information to improve our products and services, including better understanding how visitors use this website and to present timely, relevant information to them
3. To process online orders and bookings, as well as contact you in response to specific enquiries
4. We may periodically send promotional SMS, emails, newsletters or other marketing communications about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting, including services associated with studio photography using the personal information which you have provided
5. We may contact you via telephone and online or offline message applications to facilitate bookings and processing of orders

Sharing of personal data

If you provide your personal information and give us permission, we will use your data to maintain e-mail, telephone, and offline contact with you. Be assured it will be used only to support your relationship with us. We take seriously the trust you place in us and will not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to others. This is in-line with UK data collection policy.

Third party personal information

We receive third party data from Bump 2 Baby via the Click Group. It is harvested in real-time via the Your Baby Club and is opted-in GDPR compliant data. The Bump 2 Baby data set provides Photographic Synergy with the details of mums from 6 months pregnant through to babies 3 months old and offers them the choice of either a free Bump 2 Baby package or New Family photo shoot.

We receive third party data from Emma’s Diary, a publication published on behalf of the Royal College of General Practitioners and website. Emma’s Diary is a division of Lifecycle Marketing Group Ltd.  We receive this personal information via Barrett & Coe, it is both GDPR complaint and opted in data.

We use third party data to send relevant marketing communications to interested parties. The details we receive are from people who have expressed an interest in our service and have opted in to receiving marketing communications,

Controlling your personal information

When you fill in a form or provide your details to us via our website or face-to-face, you will have an option allowing you to opt-in to receive marketing communications from us by email, telephone, text message, online or offline messaging app or by post.

If you have agreed that we can use your information for marketing purposes, you can change your mind at any time by contacting Photographic Synergy via one of the methods given in ‘Contact Us’ below. If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by using the same methods given in ‘Contact Us’. If you wish to opt out of email communication, you may also ‘unsubscribe’ via the link in our emails.

Any personal information we hold about you is stored and processed in line with the Data Protection Act 2018. Your data protection rights include your right of access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, objection to processing and your right to data portability – all in certain circumstances. You may request a copy of the information held about you under the Act by writing to us using the address details under ‘Contact Us’. Any access request may be subject to an administration charge in some circumstances. You may request any part of your personal information which is inaccurate to be updated at any time. If you would like your images to be deleted alongside your personal details, please inform us. We will always endeavour to respond to your requests as soon as possible, and within 1-month of you request.

Security

We take security of data very seriously. We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. To prevent unauthorized access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online, or in person.

All payments & transactions are processed through Infusionsoft. Infusionsoft comply with a rigorous set of standards set forth by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). You can find a copy of Infusionsoft PCI compliance certificate at infusionsoft.com.

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our site; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

Data retention

Due to the nature of our business we keep personal data in a secure password protected GDPR compliant database for marketing and order purposes until we are made aware that you no longer want to hear from us.  Images from customer’s photoshoots are held but not guaranteed for 10 years from the date of the photoshoot. Photographic Synergy offer all customers a 3-year guarantee  against manufacturer defects. Customers often come back, after many years, wanting images from their previous photoshoot. For this reason, we retain data and images for a maximum of 10 years. Images are held digitally, and we cannot guarantee that all images will be retained from the photoshoot due to the technical nature of the storage. Customers can unsubscribe, change their preferences, or have all their data, including images, removed from the studio’s system at any time.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added, and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site and remember what is in your shopping basket. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system. Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website. If you would like to know more about cookies, please visit the ICO website.

Links to other website

Our website may contain links to other websites or blogs of interest. If you follow links to other sites from our website your data will be subject to the privacy policies of those sites. Note we do not have any control over these other websites or blogs. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy policy. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Contact us

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this privacy policy or our practices, or if you are seeking to exercise any of your statutory rights. You may contact us at info@photographicsynergy.com, by telephoning us on +44 (0)1727 809140 or by postvia FAO Studio Manager, Photographic Synergy, Willows Activity Farm, Coursers Road, London Colney, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 0PF, UK.

Concerns

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint by contact us or you can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how we have used your data, or dealt with your complaint, then contact the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, UK. Tel: 0303 123 1113. Email: casework@ico.org.uk. Web: www.ico.org.uk.