Privacy Policy

Updated: 1 October 2026

1. Who is responsible?

Stephan Schmick
Heinrich-Heine-Straße 18
31711 Luhden, Germany
Telephone: +49 151 50492225
E-mail: info@stephanschmick.de

This notice explains the processing of personal data when you visit this website or contact us through it.

2. Hosting, access logs and website statistics

The website and our e-mail service are hosted by IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Straße 57, 56410 Montabaur, Germany. We have concluded a data-processing agreement with IONOS. Delivering pages requires processing your IP address. IONOS records technical access information, including the requested page or file, referral page, access time, browser, operating system and device type. According to IONOS, visitor IP addresses in its website logs are anonymised and visitor data are retained for eight weeks.

IONOS also provides WebAnalytics based on access data. According to the provider, this operates without cookies and anonymises the IP address after transmission. These statistics support technical optimisation. The legal basis for providing, securing and improving the website is our legitimate interest under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Details: IONOS hosting data processing and IONOS WebAnalytics.

3. Your privacy choices and cookies

We use the locally installed Complianz consent manager to remember your choices and keep optional external content blocked until you allow it. Necessary cookies with names beginning cmplz_ record the consent categories, permitted services, policy version and banner status. They are set for up to 365 days; changing your choices may renew this period. You can also delete them through your browser.

Storing these choices is necessary to provide the privacy settings you request (Section 25(2) no. 2 TDDDG). Related personal-data processing serves compliance with our consent obligations under Article 6(1)(c) GDPR. Optional storage or access on your device requires consent under Section 25(1) TDDDG; related processing is based on Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

You can refuse optional content and continue browsing the portfolio. Use the “Datenschutzeinstellungen” control to change or withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal applies to future processing and does not undo previous lawful processing or transfers already made to a provider. Cookies already stored by a provider can be removed in your browser.

4. Contact by e-mail or telephone

When you contact us, we process your contact details and the contents of your inquiry to respond and, where applicable, prepare or carry out an assignment. Contract-related inquiries are processed under Article 6(1)(b) GDPR; other inquiries under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, based on our interest in answering messages addressed to us. E-mail is processed through our hosting provider.

We retain correspondence for as long as needed to deal with the inquiry and any resulting assignment. Where legal retention duties or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims require longer storage, the relevant records are retained for that purpose and deleted when it ends. Providing contact details is voluntary, but we cannot reply without a way to reach you.

5. PDF portfolio

You can select portfolio images and download a PDF without entering your name or e-mail address. The PDF is generated in your browser. This download function does not send a contact form or an e-mail to us. Loading the images and other files still involves the hosting access data described above. The downloaded file is saved on your device, where you control its retention.

6. Optional videos, maps and client galleries

The following services are blocked until you permit external media. Loading them sends the provider your IP address and technical information about your browser, the page and the request. Providers may use cookies or similar storage and associate activity with an existing account if you are signed in. The legal basis for loading these services is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR and, where device storage or access occurs, Section 25(1) TDDDG.

Vimeo: Videos are supplied by Vimeo.com, Inc., 330 West 34th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA. Vimeo processes playback and device information to deliver videos and for purposes described in its privacy policy, which also explains retention and privacy controls. Data can be processed in the USA. Vimeo describes its use of the EU–US Data Privacy Framework and, where applicable, standard contractual clauses for international transfers.

Google Maps: Maps are provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. They help you find the studio and representation. Google receives connection and usage information when a map loads and may process it on servers outside the EU, including in the USA. Google’s privacy policy and international transfer information explain purposes, retention, controls and transfer safeguards. The addresses remain available as text without loading the maps.

PicDrop: Client galleries use PicDrop GmbH, Am Kupfergraben 4/4a, 10117 Berlin, Germany. After activation, the gallery may redirect you to PicDrop. Depending on the gallery and your actions, PicDrop processes access information, login details, selections, comments and downloads to provide the gallery service. Core gallery servers are located in Germany; PicDrop also describes international service providers in its privacy policy. Processing your actions within an agreed client project is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Project data are retained while needed for the assignment and related legal duties; provider-specific retention and your controls are explained in that policy.

7. Local resources and external links

The site’s fonts and general interface libraries are served from our hosting. Links to social profiles and other websites are ordinary links. Following one opens the other provider’s service, where its own privacy information applies.

8. Your rights

Subject to the conditions of the GDPR, you may request access to your personal data, correction, erasure, restriction of processing and data portability (Articles 15–20). You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

Where processing is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, you may object on grounds relating to your particular situation. We will then stop that processing unless compelling legitimate grounds override your interests, rights and freedoms, or processing is needed for legal claims. You may object to processing for direct marketing at any time.

To exercise your rights, contact us using the details above. You may also complain to a data-protection supervisory authority, particularly where you live, work or believe an infringement occurred. The authority in Lower Saxony is Der Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz Niedersachsen.

We do not use this website to make automated decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects on you. Connections to the site use HTTPS encryption; no internet transmission can be guaranteed completely secure.