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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 24 August 2026

Photo Genius respects your privacy and handles personal information in accordance with South African law, including the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). This policy explains what information we collect, why we use it and the choices available to you.

1. Who is responsible for your information

Photo Genius is the responsible party for personal information collected through this website and in connection with photography sessions, studio enquiries and rental reservations. The studio is located at 130 St Georges Road, Observatory, Johannesburg. You can contact us through our Contact page.

2. Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

  • your name, email address, telephone number and communication preferences;
  • booking, session, package, extras, rental, date and availability information;
  • payment status and proof-of-payment information, but not your online-banking password or card PIN;
  • contract acceptance details, including the accepted version, name, date, time and technical audit information;
  • photographs, video, image selections and information needed to deliver the service;
  • messages, enquiries, feedback and customer-support records; and
  • technical information such as IP address, browser type, device information, security logs and essential cookie data.

3. Why we use it

We use personal information to respond to enquiries, assess availability, create and manage bookings or rentals, issue confirmations and reminders, process and verify payments, provide contracts, deliver photographs and services, maintain business and financial records, prevent misuse, protect the website, resolve complaints and comply with legal obligations.

We process information where it is necessary to take steps at your request, perform an agreement, comply with law, protect a legitimate interest, or where you have given consent. You may withdraw consent for future processing where consent is the applicable basis.

4. Photographs, children and promotional use

Session photographs are processed to provide the service you requested. Where a child is involved, the person making the booking must be legally authorised to provide the required information and permissions. We do not use identifiable customer photographs for advertising, social media or portfolio promotion merely because a session was booked. Any promotional use requiring consent is handled through a separate, clear permission or model-release process.

5. Sharing and service providers

We do not sell personal information. We may share only what is necessary with trusted providers that support website hosting, email delivery, secure storage, galleries, image processing, payment administration, professional advice and similar business functions. We may also disclose information where required by law, a lawful authority, or to protect legal rights. Providers are expected to use appropriate safeguards and process the information only for the agreed purpose.

6. Processing outside South Africa

Some hosting, email, cloud, gallery or image-processing providers may process information in another country. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to use providers and arrangements that offer protection substantially similar to POPIA or another lawful basis for the transfer.

7. Retention

We keep information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, to provide ongoing customer access, to meet financial or legal recordkeeping duties, or to establish or defend legal claims. Different records have different retention periods. When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted, de-identified or archived where the law permits.

8. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to the information and the risks involved. No internet or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a security compromise creates a legal notification duty, affected people and the Information Regulator will be notified as required by POPIA.

9. Cookies and website measurement

The website may use essential cookies for security, forms, booking steps, contracts and administration. If optional analytics, advertising or similar technologies are introduced, they will be described and consent will be requested where required. You can control cookies through your browser, although blocking essential cookies may prevent booking or form features from working.

10. Your rights

Subject to POPIA and any lawful limitations, you may ask whether we hold your personal information, request access or correction, ask for deletion or restriction where appropriate, object to certain processing, withdraw consent, and complain about how information is handled. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator South Africa.

11. Marketing

We send direct marketing only where permitted. You can opt out at any time using the method in the message or by contacting us. Operational booking, payment, contract and session messages are not marketing and may still be sent while necessary to provide the service.

12. Changes and contact

We may update this policy when our services, providers or legal duties change. The latest version and date will remain on this page. For a privacy request or question, use the Contact page.