Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 4, 2025

At PhotoFinder, we believe in transparency. This policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we protect it.

Our Privacy Philosophy

  • We don't sell your data. Ever.
  • We don't use tracking or advertising networks
  • We collect only what's necessary to run the platform
  • Your data is yours - you can delete it anytime
  • We use passwordless authentication - no passwords to store or leak

What We Collect

For Photographers

Required Information:

  • Email address (for account access and communication)
  • Business name
  • Service areas (cities you serve)
  • Photography specialties
  • Languages you speak

Optional Information:

  • Business description
  • Portfolio images (stored on Supabase, not our servers)
  • Website URL
  • Google Business Profile link
  • Availability calendar

For Clients

We collect minimal data from clients:

  • Search queries (location, date, specialty) - to show relevant results
  • Anonymous analytics (page views, clicks) - to improve the platform

You don't need an account to browse photographers, so we don't collect personal information from clients.

Technical Data

Like most websites, we automatically collect:

  • IP address (for security and spam prevention)
  • Browser type and device information
  • Pages visited and time spent
  • Referral source (how you found us)

This data is used only for platform operation, security, and improvement. We don't track you across other websites.

How We Use Your Data

We use your information only for:

  • Providing the platform service (displaying profiles, handling searches)
  • Sending transactional emails (account verification, weekly performance digests, billing)
  • Processing subscription payments via Stripe
  • Preventing fraud and abuse
  • Improving the platform based on usage patterns
  • Complying with legal obligations

We never:

  • Sell your data to third parties
  • Use your data for advertising
  • Share your data with marketers
  • Track you across other websites

No Passwords, Better Security

PhotoFinder uses passwordless authentication (magic links). This means:

  • We never store passwords - there's nothing to leak
  • No password reuse vulnerabilities
  • No password reset hassles
  • More secure than traditional passwords

When you sign in, we send a secure, one-time link to your email. Click it and you're in. Simple and secure.

Data Sharing & Third Parties

We share data only with trusted service providers who help us operate the platform:

Supabase - Database, authentication, and file storage (your portfolio images)

Stripe - Payment processing for subscriptions (they handle all payment data, we never see card numbers)

Resend - Email delivery for transactional emails

Vercel - Website hosting

All service providers are bound by strict data protection agreements. They can only use your data to provide their service to us.

We may disclose data if required by law (court orders, legal process) or to protect our rights and safety.

Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely on Supabase servers (US-based). Images are stored separately on Supabase Storage.

We protect your data using:

  • Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
  • Encryption at rest (database level)
  • Regular security audits
  • Access controls and authentication
  • Automatic backups

While we implement strong security measures, no system is 100% secure. We continuously work to protect your data.

Your Rights & Choices

You have full control over your data:

✓ Access: You can view all your data anytime from your dashboard

✓ Update: Edit your profile information anytime

✓ Delete: Request account deletion at any time - we'll remove all your data within 30 days

✓ Export: Request a copy of your data in a portable format

✓ Opt-out: Unsubscribe from non-essential emails (you'll still get transactional emails like billing)

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@photofinder.com

Data Retention

We keep your data as long as your account is active and for 30 days after account deletion (for recovery).

Anonymous analytics data is retained for 2 years to help improve the platform.

Some data may be retained longer if required by law (tax records, etc.).

Children's Privacy

PhotoFinder is not intended for users under 18. We don't knowingly collect data from children. If we discover we have, we'll delete it immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We'll notify you of significant changes via email. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when changes were made.

Questions?

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

privacy@photofinder.com

We'll respond within 48 hours.

PhotoFinder - Find Professional Photographers Near You | Zero Commission