Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy describes how Ric Mershon Photography ("Photographer," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and protects information in connection with your access to and use of your private client gallery ("Gallery"). By accessing the Gallery or making a purchase through it, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
Client galleries are hosted through Pixieset, a third-party platform. Pixieset's own privacy policy governs the platform's data practices and is available at pixieset.com/privacy. This Privacy Policy describes Ric Mershon Photography's practices only.
1. Gallery Access and Visitor Information. Client galleries require email registration to access. Before viewing gallery contents, visitors must provide a valid email address. This email address is used to verify access, maintain your gallery session, and communicate with you regarding your gallery and any purchases made through it. You are responsible for providing an accurate email address. Registering with a false, invalid, or third-party email address without authorization constitutes a breach of the Client Gallery Terms of Service. We do not require visitors to provide any additional personal information solely to access and view the Gallery.
2. Information Collected. We collect personal information at two points: at gallery registration (required for all visitors) and at the time of purchase (required only if you make a purchase). The information collected at each stage is as follows:
(A) Gallery Registration. your email address is collected when you register to access the Gallery. This is required for all visitors regardless of whether a purchase is made.
(B) Purchase—Contact Information. your name and email address, used to confirm your order and deliver digital files.
(C) Purchase—Shipping Address. for print and product orders only, your shipping address is collected and transmitted to our third-party print laboratory for fulfillment. Ric Mershon Photography does not store your shipping address beyond what is necessary to process the order.
(D) Purchase—Payment Information. payment processing is handled by Pixieset's integrated payment processor. Ric Mershon Photography does not receive, store, or have access to your full payment card details. All payment data is handled by the payment processor in accordance with PCI DSS standards.
(E) Purchase—Order Details. the images purchased, format selected, and transaction amount are retained as part of our business records.
3. How We Use Your Information. Information collected through the Gallery is used for the following purposes:
(A) Gallery Access. your email address collected at registration is used to verify and maintain your access to the Gallery.
(B) Order Fulfillment. to process your purchase, deliver digital files, and transmit print orders to our fulfillment laboratory.
(C) Transaction Communication. to send order confirmations, delivery notifications, and other communications directly related to your purchase.
(D) Business Records. to maintain records of transactions for accounting, tax compliance, and legal purposes.
(E) Marketing Communications. if you have opted in at the time of gallery registration, to send you information about future sessions, promotions, or services offered by Ric Mershon Photography. You may opt out at any time by replying to any such email with "unsubscribe" or by contacting us at ric@ricmershon.com.
4. Marketing Communications and Consent. At the time of gallery registration, you will be presented with an optional checkbox to opt in to marketing communications from Ric Mershon Photography, including information about upcoming availability, session promotions, and photography services. Marketing communications are sent only to visitors who actively check this box at registration. Checking the box is entirely optional and is not required to access the Gallery. We will not sell, rent, or share your contact information with third parties for their marketing purposes. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting ric@ricmershon.com or by using the unsubscribe link included in any marketing email. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of any communications sent prior to withdrawal.
5. Third-Party Service Providers. We share information with third-party service providers only to the extent necessary to operate the Gallery and fulfill purchases. These providers include:
(A) Pixieset. our gallery hosting and e-commerce platform. Pixieset processes transactions and hosts gallery content on our behalf. Pixieset's privacy policy is available at pixieset.com/privacy.
(B) Print Laboratory. for print and product orders, your name and shipping address are transmitted to our third-party print fulfillment laboratory. The print laboratory uses this information solely to fulfill and ship your order.
(C) Payment Processor. payment card processing is handled by Pixieset's integrated payment processor. We do not receive or store full payment card details.
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with any third party for their own marketing or commercial purposes.
6. Data Retention. Email addresses collected at gallery registration are retained for as long as the gallery remains active and, where marketing consent has been provided, for as long as necessary to fulfill that purpose or until consent is withdrawn. Purchase records, including your name, email address, and order details, are retained for as long as necessary to fulfill our legal, accounting, and tax obligations, and to respond to any disputes or warranty claims. Gallery content is removed at the end of the gallery's active period, typically thirty (30) days from delivery of the gallery link. Shipping addresses are not retained beyond the time necessary to process and fulfill print orders.
7. Children's Privacy. The Gallery is not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information through the Gallery, please contact us at ric@ricmershon.com and we will take steps to remove that information.
8. Security. We take reasonable measures to protect the information collected through the Gallery, including the use of password-protected access and reliance on Pixieset's platform security. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted through the Gallery and disclaim liability for unauthorized access beyond our reasonable control.
9. Your Rights. You may contact us at any time to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold about you in connection with a Gallery purchase. We will respond to such requests within a reasonable time. Some information may be retained where required by law or for legitimate business purposes such as tax compliance.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy. We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updated versions will apply to galleries opened after the effective date of the update. The effective date at the top of this document reflects the date of the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
11. Governing Law. This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Georgia. Any disputes arising from this Privacy Policy shall be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution provisions of the Client Gallery Terms of Service.
12. Contact. Questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy may be directed to:
Ric Mershon Photography