Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 9 May 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Masoud Raoufi Photography Services Co. L.L.C. (the “Studio”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data.

We process personal data in accordance with the United Arab Emirates Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (the “UAE PDPL”), and, where relevant to clients located outside the UAE, internationally recognized standards including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

By using our website, engaging our services, or interacting with us through our communication channels, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

1 – Who We Are (Data Controller)

For the purposes of the UAE PDPL and equivalent laws, the data controller is:

• Legal Name: Masoud Raoufi Photography Services Co. L.L.C.
• Trade Licence Number: 1146065 (DED, Dubai)
• DCCI Number: 442862
• Tax Registration Number (TRN): 104566745600001
• Registered Office: Office 312, The Metropolis Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Email: support@masoudraoufi.ae
• Phone / WhatsApp: +971 55 742 7206

Where we process personal data on behalf of clients (e.g. social media management on a client account), we may act as a data processor; in such cases, the client remains the data controller for the data they provide and our role is governed by the project agreement and our Terms & Conditions.

2 – Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Contact Information – name, email, phone number, address, company name, role/title.
• Project Information – booking details, session dates, locations, briefs, mood boards, notes, and preferences.
• Digital Account Details – social media handles and login details only when account management is part of our service. We do not store passwords unless absolutely required and expressly agreed; where possible, we use the platform’s native business / agency tools instead of password sharing.
• Payment Information – transaction references, invoice records, and amounts. We do not store full credit/debit card numbers; payments are processed through reputable payment providers.
• Usage Data – IP address, browser type, device type, and cookie data when you use our website.
• Images & Video Content – photographs, video footage, and audio recordings captured during our work, including images of you, your employees, your guests, your products, and your premises.
• Communication Records – WhatsApp messages, emails, phone-call notes, voice notes, and other digital communications between you and the Studio in connection with our Services.
• Client Materials – logos, brand assets, copy, contracts, leasing forms, regulatory documents, business information, and other materials you provide for the project.

We do not intentionally collect special categories of data (such as health, religion, or biometric data used for unique identification). If this becomes necessary for a specific project, we will ask for your explicit consent in advance.

3 – Image, Likeness & Biometric Data

Photographs and video footage capturing identifiable individuals constitute personal data under the UAE PDPL. We treat such data with particular care:

• Lawful Basis. We capture and process images and footage on the basis of: (a) your consent or the consent of the data subject (e.g. for portraits and corporate headshots); (b) performance of a contract with you (e.g. event coverage, real estate photography); and/or (c) our legitimate interests in delivering the contracted services and maintaining records of work performed.
• Releases. Where the project involves identifiable individuals other than you, we rely on you to inform participants and to obtain any necessary model releases, parental consents, or location releases (per Section 10 of our Terms & Conditions).
• Use in Portfolio & Marketing. We may showcase work in our portfolio, on our website, on our social media channels, and in marketing materials, unless you opt out in writing in advance (per Section 16 of our Terms & Conditions).
• No Facial-Recognition Use. We do not submit your images or footage to facial-recognition systems, biometric identification systems, or AI-training datasets, except where you have given explicit, separate consent.
• Children. We do not knowingly photograph or film minors without explicit, written parental or guardian consent.

4 – How We Use Your Information & Lawful Basis

We use your personal data for the following purposes, on the indicated lawful bases:

• Provide Services – manage bookings, conduct shoots, edit and deliver content (lawful basis: contract performance).
• Communicate with You – respond to enquiries, send confirmations, updates, and reminders (contract performance and legitimate interests).
• Manage Business & Legal Obligations – invoicing, accounting, tax compliance, contracts, and legal compliance (legal obligation).
• Maintain Records & Defend Claims – retain communications, approvals, and project records for record-keeping, dispute resolution, and legal defence (legitimate interests; legal obligation under UAE Federal Law No. 7 of 2017 and similar).
• Improve Our Services – analyse performance, understand trends, and refine our offerings (legitimate interests).
• Marketing (Optional) – send offers or updates about our services if you have opted in (consent; you can withdraw at any time).
• Portfolio & Showcase – display work as described in Section 3 above (legitimate interests, subject to your right to opt out).

5 – Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell or rent your personal data.

We may share information with:

• Service Providers – such as printers, couriers, payment processors, IT and cloud service providers, design tool providers, and hosting providers, who are bound by confidentiality and only process data on our instructions.
• Sub-contractors & Freelancers – occasionally we engage trusted freelance photographers, designers, developers, or assistants under written confidentiality terms to support specific projects.
• Authorities – where required by law, regulation, court order, or by a UAE regulatory body.
• Business Successors – if our business is sold or restructured, subject to confidentiality safeguards.
• Legal & Professional Advisors – our lawyers, accountants, and auditors, where strictly necessary, under professional confidentiality.

We do not allow third parties to use your data for their own marketing unless you explicitly consent.

6 – International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers (e.g. cloud storage, design tools, payment processors) and some of our clients are located outside the UAE. In such cases, your data may be transferred and processed in other countries.

Where personal data is transferred outside the UAE, we take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate level of protection is in place, in line with the UAE PDPL and any applicable executive regulations, including:

• Using providers that have certifications or contractual safeguards equivalent to UAE-recognized standards;
• Including data-protection terms in our contracts with service providers; and
• Limiting the personal data transferred to what is necessary for the relevant service.

7 – Data Security

We implement reasonable technical, administrative, and physical safeguards, including:

• Restricted access to internal systems and project folders, on a need-to-know basis.
• Use of reputable cloud storage and security tools (e.g. Google Workspace, encrypted drives).
• Encryption or password protection of files where appropriate.
• Access controls on social media business managers and admin systems.
• Confidentiality obligations for staff and freelancers.

No system is 100% secure, but we strive to reduce risks to a reasonable minimum. You also have a role: please keep credentials you share with us confidential and notify us promptly if you suspect a compromise.

8 – Cookies & Tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Improve site functionality.
• Measure traffic and usage patterns.
• Remember user preferences.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Doing so may affect certain site features.

Where required by applicable law, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies, through a cookie banner on our website.

9 – Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as needed for the purposes described in this Policy:

• Contact and Project Data: typically up to two (2) years after project completion, unless we are legally required to retain it for longer (e.g. tax, accounting, or legal hold).
• Images and Footage: active project files are retained per our Terms & Conditions (typically up to one month after delivery, then deletion). Final delivered Deliverables and a representative selection may be retained longer for portfolio, archive, and insurance purposes.
• Communication Records (WhatsApp, email, voice notes, call logs): retained for as long as reasonably necessary for record-keeping, dispute resolution, accounting, and legal-defence purposes — typically up to seven (7) years from the end of the relevant project, in line with UAE record-keeping obligations.
• Invoices, Contracts, and Tax Records: retained for at least five (5) years from the end of the relevant tax period, in line with UAE Federal Tax Authority requirements.
• Marketing Data (where you have opted in): retained until you withdraw consent.

After the relevant retention period, we securely delete or anonymize the data.

10 – Your Rights

Under the UAE PDPL and other applicable laws, you may have the right to:

• Request access to your personal data we hold.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”) in certain circumstances — subject to our overriding legitimate interests, contractual obligations, or legal duties to retain certain records.
• Object to or request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.
• Request data portability where technically feasible.
• Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent (without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal).
• Opt out of the use of your image in our portfolio (per our Terms & Conditions).

To exercise your rights, contact us using the details in Section 13. We may ask for proof of identity and will respond within the timeframes required by law.

If you believe we have not handled your personal data properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UAE Data Office (the supervisory authority under the UAE PDPL), or with the equivalent supervisory authority in your jurisdiction if you are outside the UAE.

11 – Children’s Privacy

Our services and website are not directed to individuals under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. Where children are photographed as part of a contracted project (e.g. family portraits, event coverage), we rely on the explicit, written consent of a parent or legal guardian, obtained by the Client and provided to us on request.

If you believe a child has provided us with personal data without proper consent, please contact us so we can remove it.

12 – Data Breach Notification

If we become aware of a data breach that may significantly affect your rights or freedoms, we will notify you and any relevant authorities (including, where applicable, the UAE Data Office) in accordance with applicable laws and our internal procedures, and within the timeframes required by law.

13 – Contact Us

If you have questions about this Policy or want to exercise your data-protection rights, you can contact us at:

• Email: support@masoudraoufi.ae
• Phone: +971 55 742 7206
• WhatsApp: +971 55 742 7206
• Address: Office 312, The Metropolis Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

14 – Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, technical, or business changes. The revised version will be posted on our website with an updated “Last Updated” date. Where changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention. Your continued use of our services after changes means that you accept the updated Policy.