Privacy Notice

Matt R. Watkins Photography

Last updated: 12 November 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Matt R. Watkins Photography.

Your privacy is important to me. Whether you're exploring my landscape photography portfolio, getting in touch or subscribing to my newsletter, I want you to feel confident about how your personal information is collected, used and protected.

This Privacy Notice explains what information may be collected when you use this website, why it is collected, how it is handled and the rights you have regarding your personal data.

I am committed to treating your information responsibly and in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Who Is Responsible for Your Information?

This website is operated by Matt R. Watkins, an independent landscape photographer based in the United Kingdom.

For the purposes of UK data protection legislation, I am the data controller responsible for the personal information collected through this website.

Website: https://www.mattwatkins.co.uk

Contact: https://www.mattwatkins.co.uk/contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact me using the details provided on the website.

3. What Information Do I Collect?

The information collected depends on how you interact with the website.

Information You Provide Voluntarily

When you contact me through the website, I may collect:

  • Your name.

  • Your email address.

  • Any information you choose to include in your message.

This information is used to respond to your enquiry and communicate with you.

Newsletter Subscriptions

If you choose to subscribe to my newsletter, I may collect:

  • Your email address.

  • Your name, if requested.

  • Information relating to your subscription preferences and consent.

Your details will only be used to send you the updates you have agreed to receive, such as news about my photography, new portfolio work, projects and other relevant announcements.

Website Usage Information

When you visit the website, certain technical information may be collected automatically by Squarespace, my website hosting provider.

This may include:

  • Your IP address.

  • Browser type and version.

  • Device and operating system information.

  • Pages visited and time spent browsing.

  • General geographical information derived from your IP address.

  • The website or search engine that directed you here.

This information supports the operation, security and improvement of the website.

4. How I Use Your Information

I only collect and use personal information where there is a legitimate and lawful reason to do so.

Your information may be used to:

  • Respond to questions, messages or enquiries.

  • Send newsletters and photography updates where you have subscribed.

  • Maintain the security and functionality of the website.

  • Understand how visitors interact with my photography portfolio.

  • Improve the website's content, accessibility and overall visitor experience.

  • Comply with applicable legal obligations.

I do not use information submitted through the contact form to automatically add visitors to a marketing mailing list.

5. Legal Basis for Processing Your Information

Under UK GDPR, personal information must be processed on a lawful basis.

The legal bases applicable to this website are:

Consent

Where you voluntarily subscribe to my newsletter or agree to optional cookies or analytics that require consent, your information is processed on the basis of that consent.

You can withdraw your consent at any time.

Legitimate Interests

I may process limited personal information where necessary for my legitimate interests in operating a secure website, responding to enquiries and improving the visitor experience, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

Legal Obligations

In certain circumstances, I may be required to retain or disclose information to comply with applicable laws or lawful requests.

6. Newsletter Communications

If you subscribe to my newsletter, your contact details will be used to send communications relating to my photography, portfolio updates and associated projects.

Subscribing is entirely optional.

You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in newsletter emails or by contacting me directly.

Once you unsubscribe, your details will be removed from the active mailing list. Limited information may be retained where necessary to record your preference and ensure that you do not receive further unwanted communications.

I will not send you marketing newsletters simply because you have contacted me through the website.

7. Cookies and Website Analytics

This website is hosted by Squarespace and uses cookies and similar technologies to support essential website functions and, where enabled, to understand visitor activity.

Cookies may be used to:

  • Maintain website functionality and security.

  • Remember cookie preferences.

  • Understand which pages and galleries receive visits.

  • Help improve website performance and navigation.

Where consent is legally required for optional analytics or other non-essential cookies, these will not be used unless you have agreed.

You can manage your cookie preferences through the website's cookie controls and your browser settings.

For more information, please refer to the separate Cookie Policy available on this website.

8. How Your Information Is Stored and Protected

I take reasonable steps to protect the personal information you provide.

This website is hosted by Squarespace, which provides the infrastructure and security features used to operate the site.

Information submitted through the website may be processed or stored by Squarespace and, where applicable, the email or newsletter services used to manage communications.

I take reasonable precautions to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.

However, no method of transmitting or storing information electronically can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

9. Sharing Your Personal Information

I do not sell personal information collected through this website.

Personal information may be shared with trusted service providers where necessary to operate the website and provide its functions.

These may include:

  • Squarespace: Website hosting, form processing and analytics.

  • Email service providers: Receiving and responding to enquiries.

  • Newsletter service providers: Managing subscriptions and delivering newsletters, where applicable.

  • Technical service providers: Supporting website security, maintenance or functionality, where required.

These providers may process information on my behalf in accordance with their respective contractual obligations and applicable data protection laws.

Information may also be disclosed where required by law or a valid legal obligation.

You can find further information about Squarespace's handling of personal data at:

https://www.squarespace.com/privacy

10. International Data Transfers

Some third-party services used to operate this website may process or store information outside the United Kingdom, including in the United States.

Where personal data is transferred internationally, I will take appropriate steps to ensure that transfers comply with UK data protection requirements.

These may include relying on recognised adequacy arrangements or appropriate contractual safeguards, where applicable.

Information about relevant transfer safeguards can be requested using the website's contact details.

11. How Long I Keep Your Information

I retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

In general:

  • Contact enquiries: Information is retained while an enquiry is being handled and for a reasonable period afterwards where further correspondence may be necessary.

  • Newsletter subscriptions: Your contact details remain on the active mailing list until you unsubscribe or the information is no longer needed.

  • Website analytics: Data is retained in accordance with the settings and retention arrangements of the analytics services in use.

  • Legal requirements: Certain information may be retained for longer where necessary to comply with legal obligations or establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Information that is no longer required will be deleted or anonymised where reasonably practicable.

12. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have a number of rights relating to your personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, these include:

  • Right of access: Request a copy of the personal information held about you.

  • Right to rectification: Request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected.

  • Right to erasure: Request the deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.

  • Right to restrict processing: Request that the use of your information be limited in certain circumstances.

  • Right to data portability: Request the transfer of certain personal information to another service.

  • Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests, and object at any time to the use of your personal data for direct marketing.

  • Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis for processing.

These rights are subject to applicable legal conditions and exceptions.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact me through the website.

13. Third-Party Websites and External Links

This website may contain links to external websites, photography-related services or social media platforms.

If you follow these links, you will be visiting websites operated by third parties.

I am not responsible for their privacy practices, security arrangements or content.

I recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.

14. Children's Privacy

This website is intended to showcase my landscape photography and is accessible to a general audience.

I do not knowingly seek to collect personal information from children for marketing purposes.

If I become aware that personal information has been collected from a child without the necessary authorisation, I will take appropriate steps to address the situation.

15. Changes to This Privacy Notice

I may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes to the website, the services used or applicable legal requirements.

Any updates will be published on this page, together with a revised date.

I encourage visitors to review this notice periodically.

16. Complaints and Further Information

If you have any concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact me in the first instance so that I can investigate and address your concerns.

You also have the right to raise a complaint with the UK's independent data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Information Commissioner's Office

Website: https://ico.org.uk/

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

17. Contact

For enquiries about this Privacy Notice, your personal information or your data protection rights, please contact:

Matt R. Watkins Photography

Website: https://www.mattwatkins.co.uk

Contact: https://www.mattwatkins.co.uk/contact

© 2026 Matt R. Watkins. All rights reserved.