Privacy Policy

Overview

PhotoTools operates www.phototools.io, a free educational photography resource offering interactive calculators, simulators, and reference tools. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and handle information when you visit or use our site. By using PhotoTools, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

We collect minimal information to operate and improve the site:

Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site (e.g. pages visited, time on page, device type). Analytics data is anonymized — we do not collect personally identifiable information through analytics. IP addresses are anonymized before storage.

Contact form: If you submit the contact form, we collect your name, email address, subject, and message. This information is used solely to respond to your inquiry and is not stored beyond email delivery — it is not saved to a database or retained long-term.

No accounts: PhotoTools does not require user registration or accounts. We do not collect passwords or payment information.

Cookies

PhotoTools uses cookies to support analytics and advertising functionality. Specifically:

Google Analytics cookies track site usage in aggregate and anonymized form. These cookies help us understand which tools are most used and how to improve the site.

Third-party advertising cookies may be set by our ad network partners to serve relevant advertisements and measure ad performance.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some features.

Third-Party Advertising

PhotoTools displays advertisements served by third-party ad networks. These networks may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to serve ads based on your browsing history and interests (interest-based advertising). We do not control the data practices of these third-party ad networks. For more information, please review the privacy policies of those networks or visit the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.

Google AdSense

PhotoTools uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense may use cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on your prior visits to this site or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your browsing patterns.

You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. For more information about how Google uses data, see How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites.

Cookie Consent

When you first visit PhotoTools, a cookie consent banner is displayed allowing you to accept or reject non-essential cookies. This banner is powered by CookieYes, a Google-certified Consent Management Platform that supports the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) v2.3.

You can change your consent preferences at any time by clicking the cookie settings link in the footer. If you reject advertising cookies, you will still see ads, but they will not be personalized to your browsing history.

California Residents (CCPA)

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California residents have the right to know what personal information is collected, request its deletion, and opt out of its sale. PhotoTools does not sell personal information. Advertising cookies used by our ad partners may constitute a "sale" under the CCPA — you can opt out via the cookie consent banner or by contacting us through our contact page.

Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We share data only in the following limited circumstances:

With Google Analyticsto analyze site traffic and usage patterns, subject to Google's privacy policy.

With advertising partners as described above under Third-Party Advertising.

We do not share contact form submissions with any third party.

Children's Privacy

PhotoTools is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights under laws such as the GDPR (European Union) or CCPA (California) regarding your personal data.

Because PhotoTools collects minimal personal data — and does not store contact form submissions long-term — most requests can be addressed simply. You can clear cookies at any time through your browser settings. To exercise any data rights or submit a privacy request, please use our contact page.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, the updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of PhotoTools after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please reach out via our contact page.