Privacy Policy

Personal information you disclose to us

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when making a booking enquiry, purchasing a product or gift voucher, or otherwise contacting us. This may include:

• Names
• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Postal addresses (for print delivery)
• Payment information (processed securely via our payment provider — we do not store card details)
• Session preferences or special requirements (e.g. notes relevant to a newborn or maternity session)
• Photographs taken during your session, which form the core deliverable of our Services

Sensitive Information. Where you voluntarily share health or personal details relevant to your session, we treat this information with strict confidentiality and use it solely to deliver your session safely and to your satisfaction.

Information automatically collected

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, and referring URLs. This data does not reveal your specific identity and is used primarily for security and analytics.

• To respond to enquiries and booking requests. We use your contact information to respond to your questions and confirm session bookings.
• To fulfil and manage your orders. We process your information to handle bookings, payments, print orders, gift vouchers, and online gallery delivery.
• To deliver your photography services. Your session details and preferences help us prepare for and deliver your session safely.
• To send administrative communications. We may contact you with booking information, session preparation guides, or updates to our policies.
• To send marketing communications. With your consent, we may send updates about new services, promotions, or availability. You can opt out at any time.
• To improve our Services. We may use analytics data to understand how our website is used and improve the experience for future visitors.
• To comply with legal obligations. We may process your information where required by applicable law.

As we operate within the EU/EEA (Ireland), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies. We rely on the following legal bases:

• Consent. Where you have given us clear permission, for example to receive marketing emails. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Performance of a Contract. Where processing is necessary to fulfil our booking agreement, such as managing your session, processing payment, or delivering your images.
• Legitimate Interests. Where processing is reasonably necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our website or maintaining business records, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal Obligations. Where we are required to process your information to comply with Irish or EU law, for example for tax and accounting purposes.

We may share your personal information with the following third parties:

• Payment processors (e.g. Stripe or PayPal) to securely process payments for bookings, prints, and gift vouchers
• Online gallery platforms used to deliver your edited images securely
• Email and booking platforms used to manage communications and session scheduling
• Web analytics providers (e.g. Google Analytics) to understand website usage

All third-party providers are required to handle your data in accordance with applicable data protection law. We do not sell your personal information to any third party.

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to maintain website security, remember your preferences, and gather analytics information. We also permit third-party providers such as Google Analytics to use cookies on our website.

You can set your browser to refuse or remove cookies, though some features of our website may not function correctly if you do so.

Google Analytics. To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics, visit https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

• Booking and contact information is retained for up to 6 years in line with Irish contract law and tax requirements.
• Session photographs are retained for a reasonable period after delivery. We encourage clients to download and back up their images promptly.
• Marketing opt-in records are retained until you withdraw your consent.

When information is no longer needed, we will delete or anonymise it securely.

We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.

Your session photographs are delivered via secure, password-protected online galleries. We encourage you to access our Services within a secure environment.

Our Services frequently involve photography of children, including newborns. In all cases, we require the consent of a parent or legal guardian before photographing any person under 18 years of age. By booking a session involving a minor, you confirm that you are the parent or guardian of that child and consent to their participation.

We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children under 18. If you believe a child's data has been collected without appropriate consent, please contact us at matchbox.photographer@gmail.com.

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data and obtain a copy of it
• Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete personal data
• Erasure ('right to be forgotten') in certain circumstances
• Restrict the processing of your personal data
• Object to the processing of your personal data
• Data portability — to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at matchbox.photographer@gmail.com. We will respond within one month.

If you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal data, you may lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission of Ireland at www.dataprotection.ie.

Opting out of marketing. Click the unsubscribe link in any marketing email, or contact us directly. You will still receive service-related communications necessary to manage your booking.

Most web browsers include a Do-Not-Track ('DNT') setting. As there is currently no uniform standard for recognising and implementing DNT signals, we do not respond to them at this time. If a recognised standard is adopted in the future, we will update this Privacy Notice accordingly.

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this notice periodically to stay informed of how we are protecting your information.

If you have questions or comments about this notice, please contact us:

You may have the right to request access to the personal information we collect from you, corrections to inaccuracies, or deletion of your personal information. You may also have the right to withdraw your consent to our processing.

To make a request, please contact us at matchbox.photographer@gmail.com. We will respond in accordance with applicable data protection law within one month.