Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated August 19, 2026

Who this covers

Ralph West Photography is a wedding and portrait photography studio based in Lakewood, Ohio, serving Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and beyond. This policy explains what information is collected when you use this website or hire the studio, and how it is handled.

What is collected

When you submit an inquiry form, the studio receives the name, email address, phone number, event date, venue, and any details you choose to share. That information is used to respond to you, prepare a quote, and manage your booking. It is stored in the studio's private client system.

This site uses standard analytics to understand which pages people visit. Analytics data is aggregated and is not used to identify individual visitors.

How your information is used

Your details are used to communicate with you about your inquiry or your event. They are never sold, rented, or traded. They are not shared with third parties except where necessary to deliver your photography, for example a print lab producing an album you ordered, or a scheduling tool used to send you a calendar invitation.

Artificial intelligence, editing, and reference imagery

The studio uses AI-assisted tools as part of how it works, and it is straightforward about that.

Editing. AI-assisted software is used in the editing of client photographs for tasks such as color grading, exposure and tone adjustments, noise reduction, sharpening, culling, and retouching. These tools assist the photographer's own editing decisions. Your photographs are real photographs of your real day.

Reference and illustrative imagery. Some imagery on this website, on the studio's social media, and in planning materials such as venue guides, mood boards, and client presentations is AI-generated or AI-assisted and is used for illustration, styling reference, and design purposes rather than as a record of a specific past client's wedding. It is intended to communicate a look, a setting, or an idea.

Your photographs. Client images are not used to train AI models, and they are not uploaded to public AI services for that purpose.

If you ever want to know whether a specific image is a photograph from a real event or an illustrative image, just ask. You will get a direct answer.

Your photographs and your privacy

Client galleries are private and delivered by a link intended for you. The studio may display images from your session or wedding in its portfolio, website, and social media unless you ask it not to. If you would prefer your images stay private, tell the studio in writing and that will be honored, including for images already published, which will be removed on request.

Cookies

This site uses essential cookies to function and analytics cookies to measure traffic. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking them may affect how parts of the site work.

Data retention

Inquiry records and client files are retained for as long as needed to run the business and meet tax and legal obligations. You can ask for your inquiry record to be deleted at any time.

Your choices

You can ask what information the studio holds about you, ask for it to be corrected, ask for it to be deleted, or ask to stop receiving emails. Any of these requests can be made by email and will be handled promptly.

Children

This site is not directed at children and does not knowingly collect information from them.

Changes

If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted here with a new date at the top.

Contact

Questions about this policy, your information, or your images can go to 216-484-5305 or through the contact page.