Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how HQ Portraits collects, uses, shares, stores, and protects personal information when you browse our website, submit an inquiry, begin or complete a booking, purchase a product or gift card, communicate with us, visit our studio, or receive image delivery.

Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to HQ Portraits, located at 415 Minuet Lane, Suite "E", Charlotte, NC 28217.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting personal information collected in connection with our services.

Information We Collect

We may collect information that you provide directly to us or that is generated through your interactions with our services, including:

• name and contact information, including email address and mobile phone number;
• booking details and booking activity;
• session preferences and special requests;
• payment-related information;
• communications with HQ Portraits;
• SMS communication preferences and consent records;
• telephone call recordings, voicemail messages, transcripts, and related communication records;
• notes, summaries, and other information generated from or associated with customer interactions;
• information you voluntarily provide in connection with your session or customer service requests; and
• photographs and other session-related content necessary to provide our services.

We may also automatically collect certain technical information when you use our website, such as browser information, device information, IP address, cookies, and information about how you interact with our website and booking system.

How We Use Your Information

We may use personal information to:

• provide and administer our services;
• process bookings and payments;
• communicate about inquiries, booking activity, incomplete bookings, appointments, and photo sessions;
• provide customer support;
• deliver photographs and other purchased services;
• personalize and improve the customer experience;
• maintain continuity across customer interactions;
• record, transcribe, summarize, and maintain records of customer communications where permitted by applicable law;
• maintain the security and functionality of our website, booking systems, and studio operations;
• maintain business, consent, communication, and transaction records;
• comply with legal obligations; and
• send promotional communications where you have provided the applicable consent or where otherwise permitted by law.

SMS Communications

HQ Portraits offers optional SMS communications.

If you opt in to booking and customer care SMS communications, we may send messages concerning your inquiries, booking activity, incomplete booking follow-ups, appointments, photo sessions, reminders, customer support, and other service-related matters.

If you separately opt in to marketing SMS communications, we may also send studio updates, seasonal session announcements, special offers, promotions, and other marketing messages.

Message frequency varies based on your interactions with HQ Portraits and the messaging preferences you select. Message and data rates may apply.

Consent to receive SMS messages is voluntary and is not required as a condition of purchasing or booking any product or service.

You may opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP. Reply HELP for help or contact us at hi@hqportraits.com.

If you initiate an SMS conversation with HQ Portraits, we may use your phone number and the contents of the conversation to respond to your inquiry and provide customer support. Customer-initiated communications are not treated as consent for unrelated recurring promotional SMS messages.

We do not sell or share your mobile phone number, SMS opt-in data, or SMS consent with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

Telephone Communications and Call Recording

Telephone calls with HQ Portraits may be recorded and transcribed for customer service, quality assurance, training, recordkeeping, and to help us maintain accurate information about customer inquiries and interactions.

When applicable, callers will receive notice that a call may be recorded before recording begins. Where required by applicable law, we will obtain or rely on the appropriate consent before recording.

We may process call recordings to create transcripts, notes, summaries, and other records of customer interactions. These records may be associated with your customer profile and used to understand previous interactions, respond to requests, personalize customer service, coordinate bookings and photo sessions, and maintain continuity in our communications with you.

Call recordings, transcripts, summaries, and related communication records may be processed or stored by service providers acting on our behalf that provide telecommunications, recording, transcription, artificial intelligence, data storage, customer relationship management, and related technology services.

We retain call recordings and related records only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, subject to applicable legal, operational, and recordkeeping requirements.

We do not sell call recordings, transcripts, or the contents of private customer communications.

Image Rights and Usage

Your photographs are private by default and are accessible only as necessary to provide processing, storage, delivery, support, and other services associated with your session.

HQ Portraits will not use your photographs for advertising, social media, portfolio, or other promotional purposes unless you voluntarily grant the applicable Model Release or otherwise provide permission.

If you voluntarily publish your photographs or other content on social media and tag or directly mention HQ Portraits, we may interact with or repost that public content with appropriate attribution where permitted by the platform and applicable law.

Disclosure of Your Information

We may disclose information to service providers that process information on our behalf and assist us with services such as:

• payment processing;
• website and application hosting;
• booking systems;
• telecommunications and messaging;
• call recording and transcription;
• customer relationship management;
• artificial intelligence and automated processing;
• image processing and delivery;
• analytics;
• data storage and security; and
• marketing infrastructure.

These service providers receive information only as reasonably necessary to perform services for HQ Portraits and are not authorized by HQ Portraits to use that information for their own independent purposes.

Mobile phone numbers, SMS opt-in data, and SMS consent are not sold or shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law or legal process, enforce our agreements, protect our rights or property, prevent fraud or abuse, or protect the safety of HQ Portraits, our customers, or others.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide our services, maintain appropriate business and transaction records, fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and comply with applicable legal obligations.

Different categories of information may be retained for different periods depending on their purpose and applicable requirements.

This may include customer communication history, consent records, booking records, notes, transcripts, and summaries where retaining such information helps us provide customer service and maintain an accurate history of our interactions.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and improve our website and booking services, remember preferences, maintain security, and understand how visitors use our website.

• Session Cookies: We may use session cookies to operate website and booking functionality.
• Preference Cookies: We may use preference cookies to remember settings and preferences.
• Security Cookies: We may use cookies and similar technologies for security, fraud prevention, and system integrity.

Social Media Integration

Our website may include features provided by social media platforms or other third parties, such as sharing buttons or embedded content. These features may collect information such as your IP address and the page you are visiting and may use cookies or similar technologies.

Your interactions with third-party features are also subject to the applicable third party's privacy practices.

Protection of Your Information

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Choices

You may choose not to provide certain personal information, although doing so may prevent us from providing some services.

You may opt out of promotional emails by using the unsubscribe mechanism included in applicable messages or by contacting us.

You may opt out of SMS messages by replying STOP. Reply HELP for assistance.

Where we provide separate choices for service-related and promotional SMS communications, you may choose whether to consent to each category.

If you do not wish to participate in a recorded telephone call, you may inform us or discontinue the call and use another available communication method, such as email or SMS.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended to be purchased by children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through our website without appropriate authorization.

Photographs of minors may be created as part of sessions booked and authorized by a parent, legal guardian, or other responsible adult.

Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the “Last updated” date and post the revised policy on this page.

Changes become effective when posted unless otherwise stated or required by applicable law.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, contact:

HQ Portraits
415 Minuet Lane, Suite "E"
Charlotte, NC 28217
hi@hqportraits.com