Privacy Policy

1. Privacy at a Glance

General Information

The following notes provide a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is any data by which you can be personally identified. Detailed information on the subject of data protection can be found in our full privacy policy listed below this text.

Data Collection on This Website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find their contact details in the “Information on the Controller” section of this privacy policy, as well as in the Legal Notice (Impressum) of this website.

How do we collect your data?

On the one hand, your data is collected when you provide it to us. This may, for example, involve data that you enter into a contact form or that results from using our contact pop-up via email.

Other data is collected automatically or after your consent by our IT systems when you visit the website. This consists primarily of technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of the page view). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter this website.

What do we use your data for?

Part of the data is collected to ensure the error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior (tracking).

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right to receive information about the origin, recipient, and purpose of your stored personal data at any time free of charge. You also have a right to request the correction or erasure of this data. If you have given your consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time for the future. You also have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. Furthermore, you have a right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

You can contact us at any time at the address given in the Legal Notice (Impressum) regarding this and any other questions on the subject of data protection.

Third-Party Analytics and Tools

When visiting this website, your surfing behavior may be statistically evaluated. This is done primarily with so-called analysis programs (analytics).

Detailed information on these analysis programs can be found in the following privacy policy.

2. Hosting

We host the content of our website with an external provider (hoster). The personal data collected on this website is stored on the hoster’s servers. This may primarily include IP addresses, contact inquiries, meta and communication data, website access, and other data generated via a website.

The hoster is used for the purpose of fulfilling contracts with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR) and in the interest of a secure, fast, and efficient provision of our online offer by a professional provider (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR). If a corresponding consent has been requested, processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR; consent can be revoked at any time.

Our hoster will only process your data to the extent necessary to fulfill its performance obligations and will follow our instructions regarding this data. We have concluded a Data Processing Agreement (DPA / AVV) with the provider to ensure processing in compliance with data protection laws.

3. General Information and Mandatory Information

Data Protection

The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.

When you use this website, various personal data are collected. This privacy policy explains what data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this happens.

We point out that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., when communicating via email) can have security gaps. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Information on the Controller

The controller responsible for data processing on this website is:

Karsten Leineke Photography

Owner: Karsten Leineke

Im Kreis 11

D-37688 Beverungen

Phone: 0173 2 88 65 30

Email: contact@karstenleinekephotography.de

The controller is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.).

Storage Period

Unless a more specific storage period has been specified within this privacy policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for data processing no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for erasure or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., tax or commercial retention periods); in the latter case, erasure will take place after these reasons cease to apply.

General Notes on the Legal Basis for Data Processing on This Website

If you have consented to data processing, we process your personal data on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR. In the case of explicit consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, processing is also based on Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. If you have consented to the storage of cookies or to access to information in your end device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), the data processing is additionally based on § 25 (1) TDDDG. Consent can be revoked at any time.

If your data is required for contract fulfillment or to carry out pre-contractual measures, we process your data on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data if it is required to fulfill a legal obligation on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (c) GDPR. Data processing may also take place on the basis of our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The following paragraphs of this privacy policy provide information on the legal bases applicable in each individual case.

Revocation of Your Consent to Data Processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your explicit consent. You can revoke consent you have already given at any time. The legality of the data processing carried out up to the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right to Lodge a Complaint with the Competent Supervisory Authority

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, their place of work, or the place of the alleged violation. The right to lodge a complaint is without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in fulfillment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a standard, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only be done to the extent that it is technically feasible.

Access, Rectification, and Erasure

Within the framework of the applicable statutory provisions, you have the right to free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient, and the purpose of the data processing at any time and, if applicable, a right to rectification or erasure of this data. You can contact us at any time at the address given in the Legal Notice (Impressum) regarding this and other questions on the topic of personal data.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. You can contact us at any time for this purpose. The right to restriction of processing exists in the following cases:

  • If you contest the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we usually need time to verify this. For the duration of the audit, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

  • If the processing of your personal data was/is unlawful, you can request the restriction of data processing instead of erasure.

  • If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend, or assert legal claims, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of erasure.

  • If you have lodged an objection pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR, a balance must be struck between your interests and ours. As long as it has not yet been determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, this data – apart from its storage – may only be processed with your consent or for the assertion, exercise, or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

SSL or TLS Encryption

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator, this site uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

4. Data Collection on This Website

Contacting Us via Email and Email Pop-up

If you contact us by email or via the email pop-up integrated into our website, your details from the email or inquiry, including the contact details you provided there (such as your email address, name), will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in the event of follow-up questions. We do not pass on this data without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR if your request is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR) if this was requested; consent can be revoked at any time.

The data you send to us via contact inquiries will remain with us until you request erasure, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your inquiry has been completely processed). Mandatory statutory provisions – in particular statutory retention periods – remain unaffected.

WordPress and Elementor

Our website is based on the Content Management System (CMS) WordPress as well as the page builder Elementor. These systems serve the provision, design, and technical management of our website. When you access our website, technically necessary data (such as log files, IP addresses) are processed to ensure a stable and secure display.

The use of WordPress and Elementor is based on our legitimate interest in a professional, functional, and visually appealing presentation of our portfolio and services (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

5. Analytics Tools and Advertising

Google Analytics

This website uses functions of the web analytics service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Google Analytics enables the website operator to analyze the behavior of website visitors. In doing so, the website operator receives various usage data, such as page views, duration of visit, operating systems used, and the origin of the user. This data may be summarized by Google in a profile assigned to the respective user or their end device.

Furthermore, Google Analytics allows us to record, among other things, your mouse and scroll movements and clicks. Furthermore, Google Analytics uses various modeling approaches and machine learning technologies to supplement and analyze the collected data.

Google Analytics uses technologies that enable the recognition of the user for the purpose of analyzing user behavior (e.g., cookies or device fingerprinting). The information collected by Google about your use of this website is generally transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

The use of this analysis tool is based exclusively on your explicit consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR and § 25 (1) TDDDG). Consent can be revoked at any time with effect for the future via our consent manager (cookie banner).

Data transfer to the USA is based on the Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) of the EU Commission and the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. Details can be found here: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/controllerterms/mccs/.

IP Anonymization

We have activated the IP anonymization function on this website. This means that your IP address will be shortened by Google within Member States of the European Union or in other contracting states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before being transmitted to the USA. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity, and to provide other services related to website activity and internet usage to the website operator. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

Browser Plugin and Objection

You can prevent the collection and processing of your data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available under the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.

More information on how user data is handled at Google Analytics can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de.

Contract Data Processing

We have concluded a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with Google and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

6. Important Organizational Implementation Notes

Note: This section contains instructions for yourself regarding the technical integration and does not need to be translated for customers, but here is the translation for your internal setup reference.

To integrate this privacy policy legally securely on your WordPress website, you must observe the following steps:

  • Install Cookie Banner / Consent Manager: Since you use Google Analytics, these scripts may only be loaded after the visitor has actively given consent (Opt-In). Use a WordPress plugin such as Borlabs Cookie, Complianz, or Cookiebot for this purpose.

  • Email Pop-up: Insert a short sentence directly at the link or notice for email contact in the Elementor pop-up: “Our Privacy Policy applies.” (with a direct link to the privacy policy page).

  • Data Processing Agreement (DPA / AVV): Make sure that you have digitally accepted the online DPA in your Google Analytics account and also conclude a DPA with your web hosting provider (e.g., Strato, Ionos, All-Inkl).

Important Notes on Technical and Legal Implementation on Your Website:

  • Consent for Google Analytics (Mandatory): Since you use Google Analytics for tracking, the tracking codes may only be loaded and executed when the website visitor has actively clicked “Accept” or “Consent” in the cookie banner (so-called opt-in procedure). Use a standard consent plugin in WordPress (e.g., Borlabs Cookie, Complianz, or Real Cookie Banner) that blocks Google Analytics until consent has been granted.

  • Email Pop-up (Elementor): Ideally, add a small, easily legible sentence in the Elementor pop-up where you offer email contact, such as: “Note: By sending an email, you agree to the processing of your data in accordance with our privacy policy.” Link the words “privacy policy” directly to your newly created privacy page.

  • Data Processing Agreements (DPA / AVV):

    • Google: You must digitally accept the provided Data Processing Agreement (DPA) in your Google Analytics account.

    • Webhoster: It is imperative that you also conclude a DPA with the hoster of your WordPress website (e.g., IONOS, Strato, All-Inkl, etc.). With almost all providers, this can be done for free with just a few clicks in the customer account menu.

  • Visibility: Create a separate subpage in WordPress called “Privacy” (or “Privacy Policy”). Just like the Legal Notice (Impressum), this page must be accessible from every subpage of your homepage with a single click (ideally permanently linked in the footer menu). It must not be covered or hidden by the cookie banner or the Elementor pop-up.