Your information is yours.

01

The short version

02

Who is responsible for your information

Phoenix Photography is operated by Ruan de Witt trading as Phoenix Photography. For purposes of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), I am the responsible party for the personal information described in this notice and, as the sole proprietor, I act as Phoenix Photography's Information Officer.

03

What personal information I may collect

The information depends on how you interact with Phoenix Photography. It may include:

• your name, email address, phone or WhatsApp number, and the information you include in an enquiry;
• shoot type, event date, venue or location, timing, preferences, and other information needed to plan the photography service;
• contracts, quotations, invoices, payment-related records and relevant correspondence;
• photographs and video created while providing the photography service, including photographs of clients, guests and other people attending an event;
• technical website information such as device/browser details, pages visited, approximate location derived from network information, IP-related information and cookie or analytics identifiers where applicable; and
• communications you choose to send through email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook or other channels you use to contact me.

Most information comes directly from you. Some information is created as part of photographing an event or session, and some technical information is produced automatically when the website is used.

04

Why I use your information

I use personal information only for specific, legitimate business purposes, including to:

• reply to an enquiry and discuss whether Phoenix Photography is the right fit;
• prepare quotations, booking documents and contracts;
• plan, photograph, edit and deliver a booked service;
• communicate with you before and after a shoot;
• manage invoices, payments, accounting, tax and other legal obligations;
• protect the website, business systems, client records and photographic files;
• understand how the website is being used and improve it, where analytics are enabled; and
• use photographs for portfolio or promotional purposes where the client agreement or separate permission allows that use.

Depending on the situation, processing may be necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract, to perform a contract, to comply with a legal obligation, to pursue a legitimate business interest that does not unjustifiably override your privacy, or because you have given permission for a particular use.

I do not automatically add people who enquire or book to a newsletter or electronic direct-marketing list.

05

Photographs, galleries and portfolio use

Photographs are part of the service you hire Phoenix Photography to create. They may identify you and can therefore be personal information.

Online galleries are provided for viewing and delivery for the period communicated to the client. They are a delivery convenience, not permanent archival storage. Once your final photographs have been delivered, you are responsible for keeping your own safe copies.

Phoenix Photography may retain working files or delivered photographs for a reasonable period for backup, recovery, record-keeping and other lawful business purposes, but I do not promise indefinite storage or permanent future availability.

Public use of identifiable client photographs is governed by the permission given in the client agreement or separately by the client. Boudoir photographs are treated as highly sensitive and are not published on the Phoenix Photography website, portfolio or social media without clear client permission.

If you appear in an event photograph but are not the person who booked Phoenix Photography and you have a privacy concern, contact me at privacy@phoenixphotography.co.za.

06

Website data, cookies and analytics

The website uses Google Analytics 4 only when you actively allow optional analytics through the site's cookie controls. Until you allow analytics, the Google Analytics tag is not loaded and Phoenix Photography does not send Analytics visit data to Google.

If you allow analytics, Google Analytics may use first-party cookies or similar identifiers and may receive ordinary technical information associated with the visit, such as device/browser information, session details, approximate location information, referring pages and pages visited. Phoenix Photography does not currently use the website's Analytics setup for advertising or remarketing.

Playfair Display and Montserrat are hosted directly by Phoenix Photography and do not require the visitor's browser to request those fonts from Google.

The website also uses Google Maps Platform's Places API to retrieve Phoenix Photography's current public Google Maps rating and review count. That request is made by the Phoenix Photography web server rather than directly by your browser, and it is separate from the site's optional Google Analytics consent.

The separate Cookie Notice explains the browser storage, cookies and analytics controls used by the site. You can reopen those controls at any time through Cookie preferences.

07

Who may receive or process information

I do not sell personal information. Information may, however, be processed by service providers that are reasonably necessary to run Phoenix Photography. At present these may include:

• Domains.co.za for website and email hosting infrastructure;
• Google for optional Google Analytics and for Google Maps Platform / Places API data used to display Phoenix Photography's current public rating and review count;
• WhatsApp / Meta when you choose to contact Phoenix Photography through WhatsApp or interact through Meta-owned platforms; and
• professional, accounting, legal, technical, gallery or storage providers where reasonably necessary and subject to appropriate confidentiality and security arrangements.

Some service providers operate internationally and may process information outside South Africa. Where cross-border processing occurs, I take reasonable steps to use providers and arrangements that provide appropriate protection for personal information as required by POPIA.

08

How long I keep information

I do not want to keep personal information simply because I can. Retention depends on why the information exists.

• Enquiries that do not become bookings: normally up to 12 months after the last meaningful contact, unless there is a good reason to keep the correspondence longer.
• Client, contract, invoice and payment records: retained for the periods reasonably required for the photography service and applicable legal, tax, accounting or dispute-resolution obligations.
• Photographs and working files: may be retained for backup or recovery beyond delivery, but continued availability is not guaranteed and Phoenix Photography is not a permanent archive service.
• Analytics data: retained according to the settings configured in the relevant analytics service. Those settings will be reviewed as part of the cookie and analytics implementation.

When information is no longer reasonably required or lawfully retained, I will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy or de-identify it in a way appropriate to the type of record and storage system.

09

How I protect personal information

I use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to a small photography business. These include limiting access to client information and photographic files, protecting accounts and devices, using reputable hosting and service providers, maintaining backups where appropriate, and reviewing security as systems change.

No internet service, email account, storage device or cloud platform can be guaranteed completely secure. If a security compromise occurs that requires notification under POPIA, I will take the steps required by law, including notifying the Information Regulator and affected people where applicable.

10

Your POPIA rights

Subject to POPIA and any other applicable law, you may ask Phoenix Photography to:

• confirm whether personal information about you is being held;
• give you access to personal information you are entitled to receive;
• correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete, misleading or out of date;
• delete or destroy information where you are legally entitled to request that;
• record or consider an objection to certain processing; or
• stop a use that depends on your consent if you withdraw that consent, subject to information that still needs to be retained or processed lawfully.

Some access requests may also be handled under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA). The Phoenix Photography PAIA information will explain that process.

11

Children

The website is not designed to collect booking or enquiry information directly from children. Where a photography service involves a child, I deal with the parent, guardian or other competent person as appropriate and handle the child's information and images with particular care.

12

Questions, requests and complaints

For a privacy request or question, email privacy@phoenixphotography.co.za. I may need to verify your identity before giving access to information or making a change that could affect another person's privacy.

If you believe your personal information has been handled unlawfully, you also have the right to complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa).