Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 2026

Your privacy matters to me. This policy explains what personal data I collect, why I collect it, how I use it and what your rights are. I've tried to write it in plain English rather than legal jargon — because that's how I do everything.

If you have any questions about this policy or how I handle your data, please get in touch:

Sarah Lester — The Photo Coach
Church Cottage, 25 Chapel Street, Bridgend CF31 3BT
Email: sarah@thephotocoach.co.uk
Tel: 07852 255766

Who I am

The Photo Coach is operated by Sarah Lester, a sole trader based in Bridgend, South Wales. The Photo Coach is a subsidiary of Sarah J. Evans Photography. This privacy policy applies to the website www.thephotocoach.co.uk and all associated online courses, digital products and services offered by The Photo Coach.

What data I collect and why

When you make a purchase
When you buy a course or digital product, I collect your name, email address and payment information. Payments are processed securely by Stripe — I do not store your card details. I use this information to process your order, give you access to your purchase and provide customer support.

When you sign up to my email list
When you subscribe to receive emails from me, I collect your name and email address. I use this to send you course information, photography tips, offers and updates. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.

When you enrol on a course
When you create an account on my course platform, I collect your name and email address. I use this to manage your access to course content and to communicate with you about your learning.

When you contact me
When you get in touch by email or via my contact form, I collect your name, email address and any information you choose to share. I use this solely to respond to your enquiry.

When you visit my website
My website automatically collects certain technical information including your IP address, browser type, pages visited and time spent on the site. This is collected via Google Analytics and Wix and is used to understand how people use my website and improve it. This data is anonymised and aggregated where possible.

The legal basis for processing your data

I process your personal data on the following grounds under UK GDPR:

Contract — to fulfil your purchase and provide you with access to what you've bought
Legitimate interests — to improve my website and services, and to communicate with existing customers
Consent — for marketing emails, which you can withdraw at any time

Who I share your data with

I use a number of trusted third-party services to run my business. Your data may be processed by the following:

Stripe — payment processing. View their privacy policy at stripe.com/gb/privacy
Thinkific — course hosting and delivery. View their privacy policy at thinkific.com/privacy-policy
Brevo — email marketing. View their privacy policy at brevo.com/legal/privacypolicy
Wix — website hosting. View their privacy policy at support.wix.com/en/article/wix-privacy-policy
Zapier — automation between my tools. View their privacy policy at zapier.com/privacy
Meta (Facebook/Instagram) — advertising. View their privacy policy at facebook.com/privacy/policy
Google Analytics — website analytics. View their privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy
Zoom — live online sessions. View their privacy policy at zoom.us/privacy
Light Blue — client relationship management. View their privacy policy at lightbluesoftware.com/privacy

I do not sell your personal data to any third party. Ever.

How long I keep your data

Purchase records — kept for 7 years for tax and legal purposes
Course access records — kept for as long as your account is active
Email marketing data — kept until you unsubscribe or ask me to remove you
Enquiry data — kept for 12 months after our last communication

My website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device that help the site function and allow me to understand how it's being used.

The cookies on my website are set by Wix (for website functionality) and Google Analytics (for anonymous usage statistics). You can control cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling cookies may affect how some parts of the website function.

Children's data

My services are not directed at children under the age of 13 and I do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has provided me with personal data, please contact me and I will delete it promptly.

Your rights under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to access — you can request a copy of the data I hold about you
Right to rectification — you can ask me to correct inaccurate data
Right to erasure — you can ask me to delete your data where there is no legal reason to keep it
Right to restrict processing — you can ask me to limit how I use your data
Right to data portability — you can request your data in a portable format
Right to object — you can object to me processing your data for marketing purposes at any time
Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me at sarah@thephotocoach.co.uk. I will respond within 30 days.

If you are unhappy with how I handle your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date at the top. I encourage you to check back periodically.

This policy is governed by the laws of England and Wales and complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.