But of course it does! Shopping cart system (the one under Client Galleries) won’t work without them.

This site uses cookies

But of course it does! Shopping cart system (the one under Client Galleries) won’t work without them.

Then there are tracking cookies that provide the data that I use to optimize this website and my marketing campaigns. At the moment, I use the following instances of tracking cookies:

  • Google Analytics, soon to be nixed for being a privacy menace. It’s also extremely unreliable when it comes to websites with fairly small number of daily visitors, such as this one. – Google no more!
  • Clicky Analytics. Used to be my main source of analytical data until recently; it doesn’t store or sell customer data, doesn’t track you across the internet, GDPR compliant. Sadly, it became too expensive lately. – Decommissioned!
  • Local tracker. That’s the system that stores all analytical data locally, on this very site, and nowhere else. At the moment it’s in beta testing phase; once it’s ready for its role, I’m going to remove 2 other trackers and work exclusively with a self-hosted solution. – Done!

This site records your IP address

Just like any other web server, mine has a log file, and its visitor’s IP addresses are stored there. Duh!

Additionally, IP addresses are recorded when you fill out the contact form or make a shopping cart purchase. This is done as a security measure, as a lot of online scams specifically target photographers.

In other words, if you inquire about my availability for a wedding in Tennessee, but your IP address indicates that you’re physically in Nigeria, that’ll be considered a red flag.

This site collects your contact information

The standard “privacy policy” always includes this bit, which I find both hilarious and sad at the same time (I suggest watching the movie “Idiocracy” if you want to replicate the feeling).

It’s pretty simple really: if you fill out the contact form, I’ll have your contact information that you’ve provided. That’s what contact forms do! (“Welcome to Costco, we love you!”)

Links to other websites

This is yet another compulsory chapter in all standard issue privacy policies, and I’m really tempted to use another quote from “Idiocracy” there… But I won’t.

When you click on any outgoing link to visit any other website, that other site will have its own privacy policy and its own collection of trackers, which I do not control.

Safeguarding and securing the data

I’m doing everything in my power to protect this data from being accessed by any unauthorized parties. The weak link here, of course, is Google Analytics, which will be removed soon. – Update: as of February 29, 2024, I only use self-hosted solutions, no Google with the exception of Google Fonts (which Google can, in theory, use to fingerprint your browser, so read below). Google Fonts will be retired soon in favor of self-hosted ones.

If you want to browse the web (including this site) without being tracked, I suggest any combination of the following:

  • Use a good VPN to mask your real IP address and/or location
  • Many VPN providers will also block tracking cookies and scripts
  • Use a privacy-oriented browser such as LibreWolf or Brave
  • Browse using Tor network and/or Tails Linux
  • Disable cookies in your browser settings (note: this will break most, if not all, shopping cart systems)
  • Set up a Pi-Hole on your home network.

By continuing your visit to my site, you are agreeing to this Privacy Policy.