Privacy policy

Last updated October 22, 2026

This website is run by Kate Paterson Photography, a wedding, elopement and portrait photographer based in Abbotsford, British Columbia. This page explains what personal information the site collects, why I collect it, who helps me look after it and the choices you have. I only ask for what I need, and I never sell your information.

What I collect and why

When you send an inquiry

The inquiry form asks for your names and email address. You can also tell me the kind of session you have in mind, your date, how you heard about me and a little about your plans. If you’d like a call, it asks for your phone number and a good time to reach you.

I use these details to reply to you, to plan your session and, if you book, to provide my services. Your inquiry is emailed to me, and a copy is kept in the website so nothing gets lost. To stop spam, the form briefly uses your IP address to limit repeated messages; it isn’t saved with your inquiry. Sending an inquiry doesn’t sign you up for my emails.

When you sign up for my emails

The sign-up form at the bottom of each page asks for your email address and your consent. With them I record the page you signed up on, your IP address and the fact that you agreed, so I have a record of your consent as Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) requires. You may be asked to confirm your address by email first. Every email has an unsubscribe link, and you can leave at any time.

To keep bots out, the sign-up form uses Cloudflare Turnstile, which looks at technical details of your browser and connection to check that a real person is using it. My emails are sent with Sendy, a newsletter application. Like most newsletters, they can record when an email is opened and which links are clicked, so I can tell what’s useful.

When you browse the site

Like most websites, the site’s server and security tools automatically log basic technical details of each visit: your IP address, browser type, the pages you open and the page that sent you here. These logs keep the site secure and working, and they’re kept for a limited time.

I use Google Analytics to understand how the site is used: which pages people read, how they find the site and roughly where they’re visiting from. It also counts when an inquiry is sent or someone signs up for my emails, along with the type of session chosen and whether a call was requested, but never your name, email address or message. Google Analytics doesn’t store IP addresses. I use it to improve the site, not to show you ads, and its detailed data is kept for 14 months.

Videos and photos

Some blog posts include wedding films hosted on YouTube. When one of those pages loads, YouTube (owned by Google) may set cookies and collect information about your visit, just as it would if you visited YouTube directly.

The photos on this site are of real clients. If you appear in one and would like it taken down, email me and I’ll remove it.

Cookies

The site itself doesn’t use cookies to follow you around. These services may set them:

• Google Analytics sets cookies named _ga and _ga_ followed by an ID, lasting up to two years, to tell visits apart.
• Cloudflare, which delivers and protects the site, may set a short-lived security cookie to tell people from bots.
• YouTube may set cookies on pages with an embedded video.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, and the site will still work. You can also turn off Google Analytics with Google’s opt-out browser add-on.

Who helps me look after your information

I use a few trusted services to run this site. They handle your information only to provide their service to me:

• My web host stores the website and its database, including inquiries, and runs the newsletter system that keeps the mailing list.
• Cloudflare delivers and protects the site and checks the sign-up form for bots.
• Amazon Web Services delivers the emails the site sends, such as inquiry notifications.
• Google provides my email (Google Workspace), Google Analytics and YouTube.
• Backblaze stores backups of the website and its database.

Some of these services store information outside British Columbia and Canada, including in the United States, where it is subject to the laws of that country. I don’t sell, rent or trade your personal information, and I don’t share it with anyone else unless the law requires it.

How long I keep it

• Inquiries: as long as I need them to reply and keep a record of our conversation. If you book, I keep your booking records as long as our agreement and Canadian tax rules require, usually six years.
• Email sign-ups: until you unsubscribe. After that I keep only a note that you unsubscribed, so you aren’t emailed again.
• Google Analytics: 14 months.
• Server and security logs: a limited time, usually a few months.
• Backups: backups of the website, which include inquiries, are kept for up to two months.

Your choices and rights

You can ask me to:

• tell you what personal information I hold about you and give you a copy;
• correct anything that’s wrong;
• delete your information, unless I need to keep it for legal or tax reasons;
• stop sending you emails, which you can also do with the unsubscribe link in any email.

Email info@katepatersonphotography.com and I’ll reply within 30 days. If you’re unhappy with how I’ve handled your information, please tell me first so I can put it right. You can also contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia.

Keeping it safe

The site uses an encrypted (HTTPS) connection, security monitoring and regular backups, and only the people who help me run the site can see inquiries. No website can be perfectly secure, but I take reasonable care to protect your information.

Children

This site is meant for adults planning a session. I don’t knowingly collect personal information from children through it.

Changes and contact

If this policy changes, I’ll update this page and the date at the top. Questions about it, or about your information? Email info@katepatersonphotography.com or send me a note through the contact form.

Kate Paterson Photography
Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada