Legal
Last updated: October 29, 2026
The short version. We collect what you send us through our forms so we can quote and photograph your event. We use Google Analytics to understand how people use this website. We do not sell your information, we do not run advertising tracking on this site, and you can ask us at any time to see, correct or delete what we hold about you.
This website is operated by Distinctive Foto Imaging (“DFI”, “we”, “us”), an event and brand photography studio based in Toronto, Ontario, serving clients across Canada since 2002.
We handle personal information in line with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). This policy explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and the choices you have.
Francine Birken, Founder, is accountable for how DFI handles personal information. For any privacy question or request:
| Information | Why we use it |
|---|---|
| Name, email, phone | To reply to you, prepare your quote and coordinate your event. |
| Organization, event date, location, start time and hours, type of event, expected attendance, services wanted | To check availability, plan staffing and equipment, and price your event accurately. |
| How you heard about us, and your message | To understand your request and learn which channels bring us clients. |
| How your visit started: the website or campaign that sent you, the first page you landed on, and whether you arrived from an online ad | Attached to your request so we know which channels bring real inquiries. This is stored in a first-party cookie on your device for up to 90 days and sent to us only when you submit a form. |
We use Google Analytics 4 to measure how visitors use the site: pages viewed, buttons and links clicked, form steps started or abandoned, approximate location (city level), device and browser type, and the website or search that referred you. Google Analytics uses first-party cookies and a pseudonymous identifier. It does not give us your name or email address, and we never send form contents (your name, email, phone or message) to Google Analytics.
Google Signals and advertising personalization are turned off on our Google Analytics property. We do not use this data to build advertising audiences, and we do not run Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn or other advertising pixels on this site.
Our forms are protected by Google reCAPTCHA, which analyses technical information such as your IP address, browser and interactions with the page to tell people from bots. Its use is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Photographing events is our job, so guests at the events we cover may appear in our photos. Those images are delivered to the client who hired us, who decides how they are used.
When you submit a form, you consent to us using your information for the purposes described above. Browsing this website with cookies enabled is treated as consent to the limited, first-party analytics described in section 3. You can withdraw consent at any time (see sections 8 and 9). Withdrawing may limit our ability to respond to a request or deliver a service.
We will never send you marketing emails without your express consent, as required by Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).
We do not sell, rent or trade personal information. We share it only with service providers who help us run this website and our business, and only what they need to do their job:
We may also disclose information when required by law or to protect our legal rights.
Some of our service providers, including Google, may store or process information outside Canada, including in the United States. Information processed in another country is subject to that country’s laws and may be accessed by its courts, law enforcement or national security authorities.
| Information | Retention |
|---|---|
| Inquiries that do not become bookings | Up to 24 months, then deleted. |
| Client and booking records | As long as required for tax and accounting purposes under Canadian law (generally six years). |
| Google Analytics data | 14 months, then automatically deleted by Google. |
| Visit source cookie | 90 days on your device. |
| Photo booth contact details | Used to send your photos, then not kept for any other purpose. |
Under PIPEDA, you can:
Send your request to francine@distinctivefoto.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may ask you to confirm your identity first.
If you are not satisfied with our answer, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
This website uses an encrypted HTTPS connection. Access to inquiries and client records is limited to the people who need it to serve you. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, but we take reasonable measures to protect your information against loss, theft and unauthorized access.
This website links to other services, including our Pixieset gallery, Instagram and LinkedIn. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not this one.
This website is intended for event organizers and businesses. It is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children through it.
We may update this policy when our practices or the law change. The date at the top shows the latest version. If we make a significant change, such as adding advertising tracking, we will update this page and ask for your consent where the law requires it.
