01572 756498  20 Mill St, Oakham LE15 6EA

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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 7 September 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Sonara Studios Ltd (“Sonara Studios”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal data when you visit our website, enquire about or purchase our services, enter our competitions and promotions, or otherwise interact with us.

We are committed to safeguarding your privacy and handling your information in accordance with UK data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Who we are (Data Controller)

Sonara Studios Ltd
20 Mill St, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6EA, United Kingdom
Telephone: 01572 756498
WhatsApp: 07394 057 613
Website: https://sonarastudios.com/
Email (general enquiries): info@sonarastudios.com
Email (privacy requests): rita@sonarastudios.com

The personal data we collect

We collect and process the following categories of information, depending on how you interact with us:

1) Information you provide directly

  • Identity & contact details: name, postal address, email address, telephone number, and demographic postcode.

  • Booking and session details: information you share to help us plan your session (e.g. family members’ names, children’s ages, due dates for newborn/maternity, pets’ names and breed, accessibility needs, preferred dates/times, location preferences, and other requirements).

  • Order & account information: purchase history, order notes, delivery preferences, and communications with us.

  • Marketing preferences: your choices about receiving news, offers, and updates from us.

  • Competition & promotion entries: information provided when entering (typically name, address, email, phone number, demographic postcode, and—where relevant to the promotion—children’s ages or pet breed; any additional details will be specific to the competition and clearly explained at the point of entry).

  • Gifts & vouchers: purchaser details and, where needed to fulfil delivery, the recipient’s name and address.

  • Testimonials & permissioning: your consent choices about image usage (e.g. portfolio, website, social media, print displays) and any testimonials or feedback you submit.

2) Images and related content

Photographs we create during your session and any related metadata (e.g. file names, shoot date/time). Where images identify a person, they are personal data.

3) Payment information

We use third‑party payment providers to process payments. We do not store your full card details; our providers receive them directly and process them securely on our behalf.

4) Data collected automatically (website usage)

When you use our website, we may automatically collect Usage Data, such as IP address, browser type/version, device identifiers, the pages you visit, and time spent on pages. We also use Cookies and similar technologies. For details, please refer to our Cookies Policy.

How we use your personal data (and our legal bases)

We only use your information where we have a lawful basis to do so. The primary purposes are:

  • To provide our services and fulfil your orders (e.g. take and edit photographs, manage bookings, deliver products, handle payments, and provide customer support).
    Legal basis: performance of a contract; legitimate interests (smooth running of our services).

  • To manage your account and enquiries (including quotes, scheduling, reminders, and follow‑ups).
    Legal basis: performance of a contract; legitimate interests.

  • To run competitions and promotions, including verifying eligibility, contacting winners, and delivering prizes.
    Legal basis: performance of a contract; consent (where required).

  • To communicate with you about our services, including news and special offers.
    Legal basis: consent (for email/SMS marketing), or legitimate interests (where the “soft opt‑in” applies to existing customers for similar products/services). You can opt out at any time.

  • To improve our website, services, and marketing, including analytics and performance monitoring.
    Legal basis: legitimate interests; consent (for non‑essential cookies).

  • To comply with legal obligations, including tax and financial record‑keeping, and to assist with fraud prevention or law enforcement requests.
    Legal basis: legal obligation; legitimate interests.

Marketing communications

We will only send you marketing communications by email, SMS, or WhatsApp where we have your consent, or where the law permits us to contact you about similar services you have previously purchased or enquired about (the “soft opt‑in”). You can opt out at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or contacting us at info@sonarastudios.com.

Competitions, promotions, and events

When you enter a competition or promotion, we will collect the details necessary to administer it (typically your name, address, contact details, and, where relevant, information such as children’s ages or pet breed). Entry forms will explain what data is required and why. All such processing is subject to an opt‑in policy compliant with UK GDPR. If you wish to withdraw consent or have your competition entry data deleted, email rita@sonarastudios.com. Unless we need to retain data for legal or audit reasons, we aim to action such requests within 30 days.

Sharing your personal data

We do not sell your data. We may share your information with:

  • Service providers / processors who help us operate our business and deliver services (e.g. payment processors, online booking systems, email service providers, print labs, couriers, IT and hosting providers, website analytics and communications platforms). These parties are bound by contract to protect your data and only process it on our instructions.

  • Professional advisers (e.g. accountants, insurers, solicitors) where necessary.

  • Fraud prevention agencies and law enforcement authorities only where required by law or to protect our legal rights or the safety of others.

  • Business transferees in the context of a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets, in which case we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

International transfers

Some of our service providers may process data outside the UK. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (for example, adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses) to protect your personal data in line with UK GDPR.

Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our staff are contractually bound to follow our GDPR policies and receive guidance on data protection best practice. While no system is 100% secure, we implement controls that are proportionate to the sensitivity of the data we hold.

How long we keep your data (retention)

We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy:

  • Client records and order information: generally up to 7 years to meet accounting, tax (HMRC), and warranty obligations.

  • Competition/promotion entries: retained for the duration of the promotion and any fulfilment period, then deleted or anonymised unless you have opted in to ongoing marketing.

  • Marketing contacts: until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent, or after a period of inactivity in line with our retention schedule.

  • Images and project files: retained in accordance with our operational needs and your usage/permission preferences (e.g. for reorders, albums, or, where consented, portfolio use). If you would like us to delete images that are personal data, please contact us—note that we may retain certain images where necessary for legal claims or record‑keeping.

Where deletion is not immediately possible (e.g. backups), we will securely restrict access until erasure can be completed.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

  • Access – to request a copy of your personal data.

  • Rectification – to have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected.

  • Erasure – to request deletion of your data, in certain circumstances.

  • Restriction – to request we limit how we use your data.

  • Portability – to receive your data in a structured, commonly used, machine‑readable format and/or request we transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.

  • Objection – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing.

  • Withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

We do not normally charge a fee for responding to requests. We will respond within one month of receiving a valid request and proof of identity (we may extend by up to two further months for complex requests, and we will tell you if we need to do so). To exercise your rights, contact rita@sonarastudios.com.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, please contact us first so we can try to put things right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK.

Children’s data

Our services often involve photographing children and families. We only collect children’s personal data with the knowledge and permission of a parent or legal guardian, and we process such data strictly for the purposes of providing our services and fulfilling your order.

Cookies and links to other websites

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. Please see our Cookies Policy for details, including how to manage your preferences.

Our website may contain links to third‑party sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. We will post the new version on this page and update the “Last updated” date above. Where appropriate, we will notify you by email or a prominent notice on our website before changes take effect.

How to contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:

About Sonara Studios: We are a professional photography studio specialising in newborn, family, dog, and wedding photography, serving Oakham, Loughborough, and the surrounding areas. As members of the British Institute of Professional Photography and the Master Photographers Association, we are committed to artistic excellence and the highest professional standards.