Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 11 July 2021
Last Updated: 11 July 2025
1. Who We Are
This website is operated by Charel Schreuder under the trading name Charel Schreuder Photography.
Our website address is: https://googlephotographer.com
We are committed to protecting your data and complying with data protection laws applicable in South Africa and internationally.
2. What Personal Data We Collect and Why
We collect personal data only as necessary to operate this website and provide our services effectively.
a. Comments
If you leave a comment, we collect the data shown in the form, your IP address, and browser user agent to help detect spam.
If you use the Gravatar service, an anonymised string (hash) of your email may be sent to them. View Gravatar’s Privacy Policy here: https://automattic.com/privacy.
b. Contact Forms
When you contact us via the contact form, we collect your name, email address, and message content solely for responding to your enquiry.
We do not use your data for marketing purposes without your consent, and your information is not stored longer than necessary to respond to your request.
c. Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Save your preferences for future visits
- Provide login and session functionality
- Help improve user experience
- Track website performance via analytics tools
You may disable cookies in your browser settings at any time.
d. Analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to track user behaviour and improve the website experience. This data is anonymised and does not personally identify you.
You can learn more or opt out by visiting:
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
e. Embedded Content from Other Websites
Articles may include embedded media (e.g., YouTube videos or Instagram posts). These behave like visits to those external sites, which may collect data, use cookies, or track your interaction.
3. Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.
We may share data with:
- Our web hosting provider (for secure site operation)
- Google (for analytics and SEO reporting)
- Anti-spam services (e.g., Akismet)
All providers meet data protection standards and do not process your data beyond essential purposes.
4. How Long Do We Retain Your Data
- Comments and related metadata are stored indefinitely.
- Contact form submissions are retained for up to 6 months unless further correspondence is ongoing.
- Analytics data is stored according to Google’s default retention period (currently 14 months).
5. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Request access to the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion of your data
- Object to the use of your data in certain cases
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa
To make a data request, please contact:
info@googlephotographer.com
6. Where Your Data Is Sent
- Comment submissions may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
- Email submissions via the contact form are routed through our hosting provider and email server.
7. Data Security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal data from loss, misuse, and unauthorised access. The site uses HTTPS encryption and secure server hosting.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in regulations or site functionality. Any updates will be posted here with the revised effective date.
Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns regarding this privacy policy, please contact:
Charel Schreuder
info@googlephotographer.com
Cape Town, South Africa