Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2025

At Aurora Studios, located at 42 Wallaby Way, Asheville, NC 28801, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you interact with our website, use our services, or otherwise communicate with us. This policy is managed by our Data Protection Officer, Eleanor Vance, who can be reached at privacy@aurorastudios.com or (828) 555-9876.

1. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information from and about you, including:

• Personal Information: This includes your name, email address, phone number, postal address, and any other information you provide to us when you request a quote, book a session, or contact us for support.
• Payment Information: If you purchase our services, we collect payment information, such as your credit card details or other payment method information. This information is processed through secure payment gateways and is not stored on our servers.
• Usage Data: We automatically collect information about how you use our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and the dates/times of your visits.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior on our website. This information helps us personalize your experience, analyze trends, and improve our website's functionality. Refer to our Cookies Policy for more detailed information.
• Photographic Data: If you engage in our photography services (portraits, weddings, events, commercial projects), we collect and store the images and related metadata. We use this information to provide our services, showcase our work, and fulfill our contractual obligations.

2. How We Use Your Information

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

• Providing Services: To provide you with the photography services you request, including scheduling sessions, taking photographs, editing images, and delivering final products.
• Communication: To communicate with you about your bookings, inquiries, or requests for information. We may also send you marketing communications about our services, promotions, or events, but you can opt out of these communications at any time.
• Payment Processing: To process your payments for our services.
• Website Improvement: To analyze website usage data and improve our website's functionality, content, and user experience.
• Marketing and Advertising: To personalize your experience on our website and deliver targeted advertisements based on your interests and browsing behavior.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.
• Security: To protect the security and integrity of our website and services.

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

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 assist us with payment processing, website hosting, data analysis, email marketing, and other business operations. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to a valid legal request, such as a subpoena or court order.
• 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 explicit consent.
• Public Display of Portfolio: With your explicit consent, we may display selected photographs on our website or social media channels for promotional purposes. We will always seek your approval before using your images in this way.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to track your activity on our website and collect certain information about your browsing behavior. Cookies are small data files that are stored on your device and allow us to recognize you when you return to our website.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, but please note that doing so may affect your ability to use certain features of our website. For more information about cookies and how to manage them, please see our Cookies Policy.

5. Data Security

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

• Encryption: We use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online.
• Access Controls: We restrict access to personal information to authorized personnel only.
• Regular Security Audits: We conduct regular security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
• Secure Payment Processing: We use reputable payment gateways to process payments securely.
• Employee Training: We train our employees on data security best practices.

However, no method of data transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights

You have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

• 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 information we hold about you.
• Deletion: You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
• Objection: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information for certain purposes, such as direct marketing.
• Restriction: You have the right to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit it to another controller.

To exercise these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer, Eleanor Vance, at privacy@aurorastudios.com or (828) 555-9876. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Photographic data is retained indefinitely for archival purposes and to showcase our portfolio, unless you request its deletion.

8. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to delete the information.

9. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites that are not owned or controlled by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any websites you visit.

10. 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 accordingly. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

11. Contact Us

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

Aurora Studios
42 Wallaby Way
Asheville, NC 28801
Email: info@aurorastudios.com
Phone: (828) 555-2323

Thank you for trusting Aurora Studios with your personal information.

12. International Data Transfers

If you are accessing our website or services from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where our servers are located and our central database is operated. The data protection laws of the United States might be different from the laws in your country. By using our website and services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

We comply with applicable data transfer laws and regulations, including, where appropriate, implementing Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission for transfers of personal data to countries outside the European Economic Area.