Legal & Privacy

Privacy Policy

Learn how PhotoGym collects, uses, protects, and manages personal data when you visit our website, contact us, or use our current and future services.

For privacy questions, contact us at privacy [at] photogym.club or visit our Contact page.

Last updated: June 19, 2026

Welcome to PhotoGym (“PhotoGym”, “we”, “us”, or “our”).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data when you visit our website, contact us, read our content, interact with our services, or, in the future, join our paid community.

PhotoGym is a photography-focused online project offering educational content, inspiration, practical exercises, photo critique resources, and, in the future, community-based features and paid memberships.

This Privacy Policy is written to help you understand what happens to your personal data in a clear and transparent way.

1. Who we are

PhotoGym is operated by: Roberto Zanisi – Italy

For privacy-related questions, requests, or concerns, you can contact us at:

privacy [at] photogym.club

You may also contact us through our Contact page.

2. Scope of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to the website:

https://www.photogym.club

and to any related PhotoGym services, including:

blog articles and educational content;

contact forms;

newsletter or email updates, if enabled;

analytics and website performance tools, if enabled;

affiliate links and partner recommendations;

future user accounts;

future paid community features;

future photo critique, feedback, challenge, or membership services.

At the moment, PhotoGym does not yet provide an active paid community. However, this Privacy Policy already explains how personal data may be processed if and when community, membership, or paid features are introduced.

Before launching any new paid community or account-based feature, we may update this Privacy Policy and provide any additional information required by applicable law.

3. Personal data we may collect

Depending on how you use PhotoGym, we may collect different types of personal data.

3.1 Data you provide directly

We may collect personal data that you voluntarily provide, such as:

your name;

your email address;

the subject and content of your message;

any information you include when contacting us;

newsletter subscription details, if you subscribe;

account registration details, if user accounts are introduced;

profile information, if community features are introduced;

comments, feedback, photo critique requests, or other user-generated content, if such features are introduced.

Please avoid sending unnecessary sensitive personal data through our contact forms or email.

3.2 Contact form data

When you contact us through the website, we may process:

your name;

your email address;

your message;

technical information related to the submission, such as IP address, browser information, date and time of submission, and anti-spam verification data.

We use this information to respond to your request, manage communication, prevent spam, and protect the website.

3.3 Technical and usage data

When you visit PhotoGym, some technical data may be collected automatically, such as:

IP address;

browser type and version;

device type;

operating system;

referring page;

visited pages;

date and time of access;

approximate location derived from your IP address;

server logs;

cookie identifiers, where applicable.

This information is used for website operation, security, troubleshooting, analytics, and improvement of the user experience.

3.4 Newsletter and email updates

If we offer a newsletter or email updates and you choose to subscribe, we may process:

your email address;

your name, if provided;

subscription date and time;

consent records;

email engagement data, such as opens or clicks, depending on the email service used.

You can unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us.

3.5 Future community and account data

If PhotoGym introduces community, membership, challenge, or critique features, we may collect and process:

account registration data;

username;

email address;

password in encrypted/hashed form;

profile image or avatar, if uploaded;

profile description, if provided;

membership status;

content posted in the community;

comments, replies, critique requests, and feedback;

uploaded images, if the service allows photo uploads;

interactions with other members;

moderation records;

account preferences;

payment status, if paid features are enabled.

Some community content may be visible to other members or, depending on the feature, publicly visible. We will clearly indicate the visibility of community areas before you post content.

3.6 Future payment and membership data

If PhotoGym introduces paid memberships, courses, critique services, or other paid features, payments will normally be processed by third-party payment providers such as Stripe, PayPal, WooCommerce Payments, or similar services.

In that case, we may process:

billing name;

email address;

billing address, where required;

VAT/tax information, where applicable;

purchased product or membership plan;

transaction ID;

payment status;

invoice or accounting information.

We do not intend to store full payment card details on PhotoGym servers. Payment card information is normally processed directly by the payment provider according to its own security and privacy standards.

3.7 Affiliate links and partner data

PhotoGym may include affiliate links to third-party products or services, such as photography gear, software, books, courses, hosting services, or other tools.

If you click an affiliate link, the affiliate partner or network may collect information such as:

the page you clicked from;

the affiliate tracking ID;

date and time of the click;

technical identifiers;

cookie or tracking data;

purchase information, if you complete a purchase on the partner website.

We may receive aggregated or transaction-related information from affiliate partners, such as whether a purchase occurred and the commission amount, but we generally do not receive your full payment details from those partners.

Affiliate partners process your data according to their own privacy policies. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any third-party website before making a purchase or providing personal data.

Some links on PhotoGym may be affiliate links. This means we may earn a commission if you purchase through those links, at no additional cost to you.

4. Cookies and similar technologies

PhotoGym may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, improve performance, understand how visitors use the site, protect against spam and abuse, and support affiliate tracking.

Cookies may include:

4.1 Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are required for the website to function properly. They may be used for:

page navigation;

security;

spam prevention;

form protection;

user login, if accounts are introduced;

shopping cart or checkout, if paid features are introduced.

These cookies do not usually require consent where they are strictly necessary.

4.2 Analytics cookies

If enabled, analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use PhotoGym, such as which pages are visited, how long users stay, and which content performs better.

Analytics tools may collect information such as IP address, device information, browser type, pages visited, and interactions with the website.

Where required by law, analytics cookies will only be used with your consent.

4.3 Marketing and affiliate cookies

If enabled, marketing or affiliate cookies may be used to:

track clicks on affiliate links;

measure whether a purchase was made after clicking a link;

attribute commissions;

measure campaign performance.

These cookies may be set by third-party affiliate networks or partners. Where required by law, they will only be used with your consent.

4.4 Managing cookies

Where required, PhotoGym will provide a cookie banner or consent management tool allowing you to accept, reject, or customize non-essential cookies.

You can also manage or delete cookies through your browser settings.

For more detailed information, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

5. Anti-spam and security tools

PhotoGym may use anti-spam, firewall, or security tools to protect the website and contact forms.

For example, we may use services such as Cloudflare Turnstile, WordPress security plugins, hosting-level firewalls, or similar tools.

These services may process technical information such as:

IP address;

browser and device information;

interaction signals;

page request data;

form submission metadata.

This processing helps us prevent spam, abuse, automated attacks, malicious traffic, and unauthorized access.

6. Why we process personal data and legal bases

We process personal data only when we have a valid legal basis.

Depending on the situation, we may rely on the following legal bases:

6.1 To provide and operate the website

We process technical data to make PhotoGym available, secure, and functional.

Legal basis: legitimate interest in operating and protecting the website.

6.2 To respond to your messages

When you contact us, we process your data to reply to your request and manage communication.

Legal basis: legitimate interest in responding to inquiries, or pre-contractual steps if your message relates to a possible service or purchase.

6.3 To send newsletters or email updates

If you subscribe to a newsletter, we process your email address to send you updates.

Legal basis: consent.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by unsubscribing.

6.4 To manage accounts and community features

If user accounts or community features are introduced, we will process account and profile data to provide those services.

Legal basis: performance of a contract, legitimate interest in managing the community, and consent where required.

6.5 To manage paid memberships or purchases

If paid features are introduced, we will process billing, membership, and transaction data to manage your purchase, subscription, access rights, invoices, tax obligations, and customer support.

Legal basis: performance of a contract and compliance with legal obligations.

6.6 To moderate content and protect the community

If community features are introduced, we may process posts, comments, reports, moderation logs, and account data to enforce community rules, prevent abuse, and protect users.

Legal basis: legitimate interest in maintaining a safe and respectful community and, where applicable, performance of a contract.

6.7 To analyze and improve PhotoGym

We may use analytics data to understand website performance, improve content, identify technical issues, and develop better services.

Legal basis: consent where required for non-essential cookies; otherwise legitimate interest where analytics are privacy-friendly and legally permitted.

6.8 To manage affiliate links

We may process limited affiliate-related data to measure referrals, track commissions, and understand which recommendations are useful to our audience.

Legal basis: legitimate interest in monetizing the website transparently; consent where affiliate tracking cookies or similar technologies require consent.

6.9 To comply with legal obligations

We may process personal data when required for tax, accounting, legal, regulatory, or compliance purposes.

Legal basis: compliance with legal obligations.

7. How we share personal data

We do not sell your personal data.

However, we may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to operate PhotoGym, provide services, or comply with legal obligations.

These may include:

website hosting providers;

email service providers;

contact form providers or plugins;

anti-spam and security providers;

analytics providers;

payment processors, if paid features are introduced;

accounting, tax, or legal consultants;

affiliate networks or partners;

community or membership platform providers, if used;

authorities or regulators, where legally required.

These third parties may act as independent controllers or processors, depending on the service and legal context.

Where required, we use appropriate contractual safeguards with service providers that process data on our behalf.

8. International data transfers

Some service providers may process personal data outside the European Economic Area, for example in the United States or other countries.

Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we will rely on appropriate safeguards where required, such as:

adequacy decisions;

Standard Contractual Clauses;

contractual safeguards;

other legally recognized transfer mechanisms.

9. How long we keep personal data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

Typical retention periods may include:

contact form messages: for the time necessary to respond and manage the request, usually up to 24 months unless further retention is needed;

newsletter data: until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent;

account data: for as long as your account remains active and for a reasonable period after closure;

community content: for as long as the content remains published or as needed for moderation, legal, or archival purposes;

payment and invoice data: for the period required by tax and accounting laws;

technical logs: for a limited period necessary for security, troubleshooting, and abuse prevention;

consent records: for as long as necessary to demonstrate compliance.

Backups may retain data for a limited additional period before being overwritten.

10. User-generated content and future community features

If PhotoGym introduces community features, users may be able to post comments, feedback, critique requests, images, profile information, or other content.

Depending on the feature, this content may be visible:

publicly;

only to registered users;

only to paying members;

only to administrators or moderators.

Before posting, you should carefully consider what personal information you include.

We may moderate, edit, hide, or remove content that violates community rules, legal requirements, or platform safety standards.

If you delete your account, some content may remain visible if it is necessary to preserve discussions, comply with legal obligations, protect legitimate interests, or maintain the integrity of the community. Where appropriate, we may anonymize or detach content from your profile.

11. Your privacy rights

If you are located in the European Union or another jurisdiction with similar data protection laws, you may have the following rights:

the right to access your personal data;

the right to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;

the right to request deletion of your data;

the right to restrict processing;

the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests;

the right to withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent;

the right to data portability, where applicable;

the right not to be subject to solely automated decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects.

To exercise your rights, contact us at:

privacy [at] photogym.club

We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority. If you are in Italy, you may contact the Garante per la protezione dei dati personali.

12. Marketing communications

If you subscribe to our newsletter or email updates, we may send you educational content, photography tips, PhotoGym updates, or related information.

You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us.

We will not send you marketing emails without a valid legal basis.

13. Third-party websites and embedded content

PhotoGym may contain links to third-party websites, such as affiliate partners, social media platforms, photography resources, embedded videos, or external tools.

Third-party websites may collect data about you, use cookies, track your interactions, or process your information according to their own privacy policies.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before interacting with them or providing personal data.

Embedded content from other websites behaves in the same way as if you visited those websites directly.

14. Children’s privacy

PhotoGym is not specifically directed to children.

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age required by applicable data protection laws.

If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without appropriate consent or legal basis, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

If future community or paid features are introduced, we may apply age restrictions or require confirmation that users meet the minimum age required to use those services.

15. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

These measures may include:

secure hosting;

HTTPS encryption;

access controls;

spam and abuse prevention tools;

regular software updates;

backups;

security monitoring;

limited access to personal data.

However, no website or online service can guarantee absolute security.

16. Automated decision-making

PhotoGym does not currently use personal data for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

If this changes in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide the required information.

17. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example if we introduce new features, change service providers, activate community services, add paid memberships, or modify our data processing practices.

When we update this Privacy Policy, we will change the “Last updated” date at the top of the page.

For significant changes, we may provide additional notice, such as a website notice or email notification where appropriate.

18. Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is processed, you can contact us at:

privacy [at] photogym.club

PhotoGym project operated by Roberto Zanisi
Italy