EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY POLICY

(Last updated: 2025-12-27)

This policy explains how photographs and video footage are captured, used, stored, and removed at our events, and outlines your rights in relation to your personal data.

We are committed to handling all imagery in a way that respects privacy, consent, and the expectations of our community.

PLEASE NOTE: At no time are event attendees permitted to take photos, videos, or any other recording without clear, express consent by a member of staff or event team. Anyone found doing so, even consensually may be immediately banned and removed from the premises.

1. Purpose of Photography & Videography

We occasionally capture photographs and video footage at our events to:

Create promotional and marketing materials
Share highlights from events on our website and social channels
Document and celebrate our events and community

We only capture imagery that is relevant to these purposes and avoid unnecessary or intrusive recording.

2. Lawful Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Under UK GDPR, our lawful basis for processing event photography and videography is legitimate interests, balanced carefully against the rights and freedoms of attendees.

This balance is achieved by:

Providing clear notice that photography may occur
Offering an easy and visible opt-out mechanism
Anonymising imagery by default where appropriate
Honouring removal or anonymisation requests at any time

You are never required to justify an opt-out or removal request.

3. Notice of Photography & Entry to Events

Photography and/or videography may take place during our events, you will be made aware of this immediately upon entering.

Clear signage is displayed at reception and other appropriate locations. By entering the venue, you acknowledge that photography or filming may occur in accordance with this policy.

4. Opting Out of Photography

Wristband System

If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please wear the opt-out wristband provided at reception.

The wristband signals non-consent to identifiable imagery
Our staff and photographers are briefed to actively respect this
You may still appear incidentally in the background of images, but you will not be identifiable

5. Privacy & Anonymisation Measures

Protecting personal data and privacy is a priority.

In any imagery we use, unless further explicit consent has been received, we will ensure that:

Faces are fully blurred (by default)
Identifying tattoos, scars, or markings are blurred (by default)
Images are cropped to remove identifiable features (by opt-out)
Full body anonymisation is applied where needed (by opt-out)

This ensures that no individual can be reasonably identified from published imagery.

6. Requesting Copies of Your Own Photos

If you appear in event photography and would like unblurred images of yourself, you may request them.

To protect everyone’s privacy, we may ask for reasonable verification to ensure images are only released to the correct individual.

Unblurred images will never include other identifiable attendees without their consent.

7. Where Images May Be Used

Images and video footage may appear on:

Our official website
Our social media channels
Event listings or promotional materials
Internal documentation or reports

We do not sell imagery to third parties and do not use images in ways that misrepresent attendees, events, or the nature of our space.

8. Requesting Image Removal or Further Anonymisation

You have the right to request removal or further anonymisation of images at any time, including after publication.

No explanation is required - your comfort and consent come first.

How to Request Removal

Please contact us with:

Your name (or scene name, if preferred)
The event name and date
A description of the image (or a link, if available)
Your request (removal or additional anonymisation)

Requests can be made via our website contact form or the form at the end of this page.

What Happens Next

We will acknowledge your request promptly
We will remove or further anonymise the image wherever reasonably possible
We will confirm once action has been taken

Please note: while we will always act in good faith and do everything within our control, the nature of the internet means that content may already have been shared, cached, or archived by third parties. We cannot guarantee removal from platforms or locations outside of our ownership or control, but we will always take all reasonable steps available to us.

9. Data Retention

We retain photographs and video footage only for as long as they are reasonably required for the purposes outlined in this policy.

Images may be reviewed periodically and removed when no longer needed or appropriate.

10. Your GDPR Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

Access personal data we hold about you
Request rectification or anonymisation
Request erasure (where applicable)
Object to processing
Withdraw consent or opt out at any time

You can exercise these rights by contacting us using the details above.

11. Copyright & Ownership of Images

All photographs and video footage captured at our events are the intellectual property of Ministry Studios, unless otherwise stated.

This includes:

Raw and edited images
Video footage
Promotional edits and excerpts

Ministry Studios retains full copyright over all images and videos. Attendees do not own the copyright to images in which they appear; however, this policy outlines clear rights around privacy, consent, anonymisation, and removal.

Attendees who request and receive unblurred images of themselves are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use those images for personal, non-commercial purposes, including private sharing and personal social media accounts.

This licence does not permit:

Commercial use
Sale or licensing of images
Editing that removes consent indicators or anonymisation of others
Use that misrepresents the event, venue, or other attendees

Our ownership of images does not override your right to privacy, consent, or to request removal or anonymisation at any time.

12. Questions or Concerns

If you have questions about photography at our events, or would like to discuss privacy needs in advance, please speak to a member of staff or contact us before attending.

We are always happy to help.

Request unblurred copies, removal, or further anonymisation

Use the form below to contact us request unblurred images, removals, further anonymisation, or clarification on any of the points above. We're always happy to help!