Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
This privacy policy explains how Russell Discombe Photography handles personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, together with other applicable data protection and privacy laws.
Last updated: 4th November 2026
At Russell Discombe Photography, your privacy is important to us. We understand that sharing personal details and photographs is a personal matter, and we're committed to keeping your information safe and handling it responsibly.
This privacy policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we store it and your rights in relation to your personal data.
1. Who I am
Russell Discombe Photography is run by Russell Discombe, a wedding photographer based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK. For the purposes of UK data protection law, I am the data controller responsible for the personal information you provide.
Contact details:
07817118703
2. What Information I collect
Website Enquiry Forms and Personal Information
When you contact me through the enquiry form on my website, I may collect personal information such as your name, email address, telephone number, wedding date, venue and any other details you choose to include in your message.
My website is hosted by Squarespace, which also securely stores the information submitted through my website enquiry forms. Enquiry notifications and submission details are also forwarded to my business email account, which is managed through Gmail (Google).
I use this information solely to respond to your enquiry, provide information about my wedding photography services and, where applicable, discuss and arrange a potential booking. The lawful basis for processing your enquiry information is taking steps at your request before entering into a contract.
Your information is processed by Squarespace and Google as third-party service providers who help me operate my business and manage enquiries. You can read their privacy policies here:
I am the only person within my business, who routinely accesses and manages your enquiry information within my business. However, the third-party service providers listed in this policy may process or store your information as necessary to provide their services. I do not sell your personal information or use enquiry details for unrelated marketing purposes.
When You Book Your Wedding Photography
When you decide to book my wedding photography services, I collect additional information needed to manage your booking and provide my services. This may include:
Your home addresses and contact details.
Your accepted quotation and agreed package.
Contract details and booking correspondence.
Your photography preferences, requirements and any special requests.
Payment information and booking records.
I use this information to manage your booking, fulfil our photography agreement and meet any relevant legal and accounting obligations.
Before Your Wedding
In preparation for your wedding, I will collect further information to help me plan and photograph your day. This may include:
Wedding day timings and schedules.
Names and details of key people involved in your day.
Contact details for relevant wedding suppliers.
Group photograph lists and requested family photographs.
Venue information and logistical arrangements.
Any additional notes, preferences or information you choose to share with me.
This information helps me understand your plans, communicate with relevant people where necessary and ensure I can provide the photography service we've agreed upon.
On Your Wedding Day
During your wedding, I capture photographs using both digital and film photography equipment. These images may include you, your partner, family members, friends and other wedding guests.
Photographs may contain identifiable personal information, such as people's faces, and are treated as personal data where individuals can be identified.
These photographs are used to provide your agreed photography service, edit and deliver your images, and retain copies in accordance with my photography and data retention arrangements.
3. How I use your information
I use your personal information to:
· Respond to enquiries and provide quotations.
· Manage bookings and photography contracts.
· Communicate with you before, during and after your wedding.
· Provide your edited photographs through an online gallery.
· Process payments and manage invoices.
· Improve my services and customer experience.
· Meet legal and accounting obligations.
I will only use your personal information for purposes that are relevant to my photography business.
I don't sell your data, and I don't send marketing information without your permission.
4. Who I Share Your Information With
I respect your privacy and only share your personal information with trusted third parties where it's necessary to run my photography business and provide the services you've booked. I only share the information each provider or individual needs to carry out their role.
These may include:
Website hosting: Squarespace, which hosts my website and stores information submitted through my website enquiry forms.
Email services: Google (Gmail), which I use to receive and respond to enquiries and communicate with clients.
Booking and client management: Studio Ninja, which I use to manage enquiries, client details, contracts, invoices and bookings.
Online galleries and file delivery: Pic-Time, which I use to deliver and share your finished wedding photographs.
Payment providers and banks: Where necessary to process payments and manage financial transactions.
Accountant: Where necessary to manage bookkeeping, tax returns and financial records.
Second photographers: If you've booked a second photographer as part of your package, I may share relevant wedding details with them so they can carry out their role on the day.
These providers and individuals only receive personal information where it's necessary for the services they provide or the work they carry out.
Some of these third-party providers may process or store personal information outside the UK. Where this happens, I take steps to ensure that appropriate data protection safeguards are in place in accordance with UK data protection requirements.
5. How long I keep your information
I retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, taking into account my business needs, legal obligations and responsibilities under data protection law.
Unsuccessful enquiries: I normally delete enquiry details within 12 months of our last communication if no booking is made.
Client and booking records: I retain contracts, correspondence and relevant booking information for as long as necessary for business, legal and accounting purposes.
Financial records: I retain invoices, payment records and other financial information for the periods required by HMRC and applicable law.
Wedding photographs: I may retain original and edited digital photographs, film negatives and scans as part of my photographic archive. I review the information I hold periodically and consider whether continued retention remains necessary and appropriate.
Online galleries: Online galleries are normally available for 12 months following delivery of the final photographs. I recommend downloading and securely backing up your photographs during this period.
6. Your Photographs and Social Media
Photographs taken at your wedding may include you, your partner, family members, friends and other wedding guests. Your photographs are primarily taken to provide the wedding photography service you've booked and to create your finished online gallery.
To support the continued work and promotion of Russell Discombe Photography, I may ask for your permission to select and use photographs from your wedding for promotional purposes. With your permission, selected photographs may be displayed on my website, blog and social media accounts, included in brochures or other printed promotional material, or submitted to relevant wedding and lifestyle photography blogs, websites, magazines or publications etc.
I respect the privacy of my clients and will always seek appropriate permission before using identifiable photographs of clients for promotional purposes. Agreeing to this use is entirely optional and will not affect the service you receive or the delivery of your photographs. You are under no obligation to agree to your photographs being used for promotional purposes, and your decision will not affect the photography service you receive.
As a wedding photographer, I photograph weddings as a visual record of the day. This may include photographs of the couple, their guests and other people attending the event. Where an individual can be identified from a photograph, that photograph may constitute personal data under UK data protection law.
I process wedding photographs primarily to fulfil my agreement with the couple. This includes photographing the event, editing the images and delivering the finished photographs. Where appropriate, I may also rely on my legitimate interests in providing my photography services and maintaining a photographic archive, provided these interests are not overridden by the rights and freedoms of the individuals concerned.
I ask couples to make their guests aware that a professional photographer will be present and to direct them towards my privacy policy before the wedding where possible. This helps guests understand how photographs are taken, used, stored and retained. Guests can also contact me directly with any questions or concerns.
If you have any concerns about particular photographs being shared publicly, please let me know. You can also contact me if you wish to withdraw consent where I rely on consent as the lawful basis for using your photographs.
I will never sell your wedding photographs or provide them to third parties for their own marketing purposes without your permission.
7. Your rights
Under UK data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal information. These include the right to:
· Request access to the personal information I hold about you.
· Ask me to correct inaccurate information.
· Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.
· Object to certain uses of your information.
· Request restrictions on how your information is processed.
· Withdraw consent where I rely on consent to process your information.
· Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details above.
You can also find more information at www.ico.org.uk.
8. My Lawful Basis for Using Your Information
Under UK GDPR, I must have a valid lawful basis for collecting and using your personal information.
Depending on the circumstances, I rely on the following lawful bases:
Contract: To manage your wedding photography booking, communicate with you and provide the photography services you've booked.
Pre-contractual steps: To respond to enquiries, provide quotations and discuss potential bookings.
Legal obligation: To maintain financial and accounting records and meet my legal responsibilities.
Legitimate interests: To manage and improve my photography business, maintain appropriate business records and protect my business interests, where these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
Consent: Where appropriate, to use identifiable wedding photographs for promotional purposes or to use non-essential cookies that require consent.
Where I rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
9. Website Usage and Cookies
When you visit my website, I may collect basic website usage information through cookies and similar technologies. This may include information about how visitors interact with my website, such as pages visited and general browsing activity.
Some cookies are necessary for the website to function, while others may be used for analytics or to improve the visitor experience. Where required, your consent will be requested before non-essential cookies are used.
10. Complaints
If you're unhappy with how I've handled your data, please talk to me first and I'll put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Changes to this privacy policy
I may occasionally update this privacy policy to reflect changes in my business practices or legal requirements.
The latest version will always be available on my website.