Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 2026

This policy explains what information alexnjose.com ("this site," "we," "us") collects when you visit, how it's used, and the choices you have. This is a personal photography portfolio, not a company - there's no ad network, no data sale, and no marketing list.

Information we collect

Analytics. We use Google Analytics to understand how the site is used - pages viewed, approximate location (from IP address), device/browser type, and how you arrived at the site. Google Analytics sets its own cookies to do this; see Google's Privacy Policy for how Google handles that data.

If you sign in to comment. Signing in is only needed to comment, reply, or like a photo or comment - browsing and searching the site never requires an account. When you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture URL from that provider, and we set a session cookie so you stay signed in. We never see or store a password - your identity is verified by Google, not by us. If your Google profile picture is ever unavailable, your browser looks up a fallback picture from Gravatar using a one-way (SHA-256) hash of your email address - Gravatar never receives your actual email address, only that hash.

Content you post. Comments, replies, and which photos or comments you like are stored and linked to your account. Comments and replies (with your name and photo) are visible to anyone who views that photo; likes are not shown to other visitors.

If you use the Contact form. We store the name, email address, and message you submit, and email it to us so we can reply - used only to respond to your inquiry, never for marketing.

How we use it

To operate the site, understand traffic and usage patterns, display your comments alongside your name and photo, keep you signed in between visits, and moderate content (see Terms of Service). We don't use your information for advertising, and we don't sell or share it with anyone except the service providers below, who process it only to help run the site.

Cookies

Google Analytics sets third-party cookies (e.g. _ga) to distinguish visitors across sessions. If you sign in to comment, we set one first-party session cookie ourselves - it's only used to keep you signed in and is never used for tracking or advertising.

Third-party services

This site runs on the following infrastructure and identity providers, each of which processes some data on our behalf or under their own privacy policy:

  • Google - Analytics, and Sign in with Google (if you choose to sign in)
  • Cloudflare - hosting, content delivery, the databases that store comments/likes and contact-form submissions, and sending contact-form notification emails
  • Amazon Web Services - photo image storage and delivery
  • Gravatar (Automattic) - fallback profile picture lookup, using a hashed version of your email, if your Google picture is unavailable

Data retention and your choices

Account, comment, and contact-form data is kept until you ask us to remove it. To request deletion or correction of your data, or to ask what we have on file, reach out via the Contact page. You can also opt out of Google Analytics entirely using Google's browser opt-out.

Children's privacy

This site isn't directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect information from them.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the "Last updated" date above will change too. Continued use of the site after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? Reach out via the Contact page.