Privacy policy

Last updated: October 21, 2026

Hiriwā Digital Art, based in New Zealand, operates this website and store, powered by Shopify. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information when you visit our website, purchase products, arrange a portrait session or contact us.

Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Your name, email address, phone number, and billing and shipping addresses.
• Order details, payment confirmations, transaction history and communications with us.
• Account information and preferences, where applicable.
• Photographs you supply for commissioned artwork, iris photographs taken during portrait sessions, and the resulting artwork.
• Your instructions, approvals and choices about promotional use of your portrait.
• Technical information such as your IP address, browser, device information and activity on our website, including information collected through cookies and similar technologies.

Payments are handled by Shopify and the payment providers available at checkout. We receive payment and transaction information needed to manage your order; we do not receive your full payment card number or security code.

How We Collect Information

We collect information directly from you when you place an order, arrange a session, supply photographs, complete a form, choose your privacy preferences or communicate with us.

We also receive information from Shopify, payment providers and other services involved in operating our store and fulfilling orders. Some technical and usage information is collected automatically when you use our website.

If someone arranges a gift or portrait on your behalf, we may receive information they provide about you. Where required, we will notify you about that collection and how the information will be used.

Why We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

• Process payments, fulfil orders and arrange production and delivery.
• Create, edit and deliver commissioned artwork and iris portraits.
• Communicate about bookings, orders, enquiries, returns and other customer requests.
• Record and respect your portrait-sharing preferences.
• Display finished portraits for promotional purposes where you have given permission.
• Operate, secure and improve our website and services.
• Prevent fraud and comply with legal and recordkeeping obligations.
• Send marketing communications where you have agreed to receive them or where otherwise permitted by law.

Providing certain information is necessary to process an order or create a portrait. If you choose not to provide it, we may be unable to provide the requested service. Promotional permission is optional and is not required to purchase a portrait.

Portrait Photographs and Commissioned Artwork

We use supplied photographs, iris photographs and associated customer details to create and deliver your commissioned artwork, communicate with you and manage related requests.

Where printing or other production services are required, we share the artwork and necessary order details with the providers fulfilling your order.

Please supply photographs only where you have the necessary rights and permission for us to use them for your commission. If photographs include other people, please make them aware of how their information will be used.

Copyright arrangements are explained in our Terms of Service. Copyright ownership does not, by itself, provide permission to publish a customer’s portrait for promotion.

Your Choice About Sharing Your Portrait

Sharing your portrait for promotional purposes is optional.

If you tick “You may share my finished portrait” on the portrait order form, you give Hiriwā Digital Art permission to display your finished portrait in its website gallery, social media, market displays and promotional materials. This may include printed displays and online posts available to the public.

If you leave the sharing checkbox unticked, we will keep your portrait private. Accepting our terms, acknowledging this Privacy Policy, submitting an enquiry or purchasing a portrait does not, by itself, provide promotional permission.

This permission does not authorise selling your portrait as a product, publishing your contact details or original reference photographs, or identifying you by name without separate permission.

You may give permission only for yourself or where you have authority to act for the person concerned. For portraits involving more than one person, permission must cover everyone whose portrait will be shared.

We may also record promotional permission through a separate written agreement. Publishing or updating this policy does not retrospectively provide permission for earlier portraits.

Withdrawing Sharing Permission

Permission continues until you withdraw it. You can use our Contact page to withdraw permission for future promotional use and request removal from channels we control.

We will stop new promotional use and take reasonable steps to remove existing material from those channels. Printed material already distributed, or content copied or shared by others, may not be retrievable.

Withdrawing permission does not affect use that was lawful before withdrawal. It does not cancel your order or remove records we need to retain for other lawful purposes.

Children’s Information

Our website and checkout are intended for adults. A parent or guardian should arrange purchases and portrait sessions for a child and authorise the collection and use of the child’s photographs for that commission.

Any promotional permission for a child’s portrait must come from a parent or guardian with authority to give it, taking the child’s views into account where appropriate. Booking a session or purchasing a gift voucher does not, by itself, provide permission to share the child’s portrait.

If you have concerns about information relating to a child, please contact us.

Who We Share Information With

We share personal information where necessary with service providers that help us operate our business, including:

• Shopify and payment providers.
• Printing, production, fulfilment and delivery providers.
• Providers of website hosting, file storage, communications, analytics and other business tools.
• Professional advisers or authorities where required or permitted by law.

We share the information reasonably needed for the relevant purpose. We may also share information where you request or authorise us to do so.

Where you give promotional permission, your finished portrait may be visible to the public through the channels described above.

Marketing Communications

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails using the unsubscribe link provided or by contacting us. We may still send messages needed to manage your order, booking or other service request.

Permission to share your portrait is separate from subscribing to marketing emails. Selecting one does not automatically select the other.

Shopify, Cookies and Similar Technologies

Shopify hosts our store and processes information to provide, secure and improve its services. Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for functions such as maintaining your cart, remembering preferences and understanding website activity.

Depending on the features enabled and your privacy choices, Shopify and connected services may also process information for analytics, personalised experiences and advertising. Where required, we request consent before using non-essential cookies or related technologies.

You can manage cookies through your browser and any privacy controls available on our website. Disabling some cookies may affect website functionality.

For information about Shopify’s practices and privacy choices, visit the Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy and Shopify Privacy Portal.

Storage, Security and Retention

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, misuse and unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. No method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure.

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including fulfilling orders, managing commissions, resolving enquiries and meeting legal obligations.

Retention periods may differ for order records, correspondence, source photographs, finished artwork and records of promotional permission. Keeping copyright in artwork does not mean we may retain associated personal information indefinitely.

You can contact us to ask about the information, photographs or artwork we hold in connection with your order and request deletion where applicable. We will explain any limits, including legal retention requirements and the handling of backup copies.

Overseas Processing

Shopify and other service providers may store or process information outside New Zealand. Promotional material published online may also be accessible overseas.

Where applicable, we take reasonable steps to ensure overseas disclosures comply with New Zealand privacy requirements and other laws that apply, including using appropriate contractual safeguards where required.

Your Privacy Rights

Under New Zealand privacy law, you can request access to personal information we hold about you and ask us to correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.

If we do not make a requested correction, you may ask us to attach a statement recording the correction you sought, as provided by applicable law.

Depending on where you live, you may also have rights to request deletion, restrict or object to processing, receive a portable copy of your information or withdraw consent.

These rights are subject to applicable legal limits. We may need to verify your identity or authority to act for someone else before responding. We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law and explain any lawful grounds for declining a request.

Third-Party Websites

Our website may link to other websites or services. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. Please review those policies before providing personal information.

Questions and Complaints

For privacy questions, requests or complaints, please use our Contact page and address your message to the Privacy Officer.

If we cannot resolve your concern, you can contact the New Zealand Office of the Privacy Commissioner or the relevant privacy authority where you live.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes to our services, practices or legal obligations. We will publish the updated version here and revise the date above, with additional notice where required.

A policy update does not expand any promotional permission you previously gave. We will obtain further permission where needed for a new use.