Privacy Policy

At Aurora Studios, located in the vibrant heart of Portland, Oregon, your privacy is of utmost importance to us. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, protect, and manage your personal information. We are committed to ensuring the confidentiality and security of your data. This policy applies to all users of our website, clients who engage our photography services, and any other individuals who interact with Aurora Studios. By using our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our services, including:

• Personal Information: This includes information that can identify you, such as your name, email address, phone number, and postal address. We collect this information when you fill out forms on our website, book a photography session, subscribe to our newsletter, or contact us directly. For instance, when booking a wedding photography package, we will collect your names, wedding date, venue location, and contact details for both the bride and groom.
• Payment Information: When you make payments for our services, we collect payment information such as credit card details or bank account information. This information is processed through secure payment gateways and is not stored on our servers. We use trusted third-party payment processors, such as Stripe, to ensure the security of your financial data.
• Usage Data: We collect information about how you use our website and services. This includes your IP address, browser type, operating system, the pages you visit, the time and date of your visit, and the amount of time you spend on each page. This data is collected using cookies and other tracking technologies to improve our website's functionality and user experience.
• Photography Data: During photography sessions, we collect images and videos of you. These images are used to fulfill our photography services and may be displayed in our portfolio or marketing materials with your consent. We obtain explicit consent before using any images for promotional purposes.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

• Providing and Improving Our Services: We use your information to provide the photography services you request, such as portrait sessions, wedding photography, and commercial photography. We also use this information to improve our services, customize your experience, and develop new offerings. For example, we analyze usage data to identify areas of our website that need improvement and to optimize the user experience.
• Communicating with You: We use your contact information to communicate with you about your bookings, send you updates about our services, respond to your inquiries, and provide customer support. We may also send you promotional emails about new services, special offers, or upcoming events. You can opt out of receiving promotional emails at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in the email.
• Marketing and Advertising: With your consent, we may use your information to display photographs and videos in our portfolio, on our website, and in our marketing materials. We may also use your information to target advertising to you on social media platforms and other websites. We ensure that all marketing activities comply with applicable laws and regulations.
• Legal Compliance: We may use your information to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes. This includes responding to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal requests. We may also use your information to prevent fraud, protect our rights, and enforce our terms of service.

Data Storage and Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These measures include:

• Secure Servers: We store your personal information on secure servers that are protected by firewalls and other security technologies.
• Encryption: We use encryption to protect sensitive information, such as payment information, during transmission.
• Access Controls: We limit access to your personal information to authorized employees and contractors who need to know the information to perform their jobs.
• Regular Security Audits: We conduct regular security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in our systems.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.

Sharing Your Information

We may share your information with third parties in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share your information with third-party service providers who help us provide our services, such as payment processors, email marketing providers, and data analytics providers. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and only use it for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to a valid legal request.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.
• With Your Consent: We may share your information with third parties with your consent. For example, if you agree to allow us to share your photographs with a magazine, we will obtain your explicit consent before doing so.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect information about your use of our website. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies to:

• Analyze Website Traffic: We use cookies to track how users interact with our website, which helps us improve its functionality and user experience.
• Personalize Your Experience: We use cookies to remember your preferences and customize your experience on our website.
• Target Advertising: We may use cookies to target advertising to you on social media platforms and other websites.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. However, if you block or delete cookies, you may not be able to use certain features of our website.

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: You have the right to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you.
• Deletion: You have the right to request that we delete your personal information.
• Objection: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal information.
• Restriction: You have the right to restrict our processing of your personal information.
• Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit that information to another controller.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post any changes on our website and update the effective date. Your continued use of our services after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Aurora Studios

123 Photography Lane, Portland, OR 97201

Phone: (503) 555-1212

Email: [email protected]

Effective Date: January 1, 2025

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Oregon. Any disputes arising under this Privacy Policy will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Portland, Oregon.

Policy prepared by: Dr. Eleanor Vance, Data Protection Officer, Vance & Associates Legal, Portland, OR.