I'm surprised they invite people to rate them here! As others say, photo packages with unhelpful sizes and quantities designed to extract the maximum cash and upsell you to packs with things you... See more
Company replied
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Review summary
Created with AI, based on recent reviews
What people talk about most
Reviews shaping this summary
Baffled that school continues to use this company. Poor experience year on year. Very difficult to choose from individual photo options as the photos are so blurred and you cannot select them to show... See more
Company replied
I feel very coerced. The photos cannot be selected by size etc, only ordered as packages which means not getting the prints I want for different family members. There is some reference to digital down... See more
Company replied
Packages designed to trap you into spending too much on more photos than you need. Delivery also overpriced unless you again spend more. They also invest in Isreal through their use of Barclays Bank s... See more
Company replied
Company details
Information provided by various external sources
Founded by Horace Tempest over 80 years ago, Tempest Photography has been at the forefront of the photographic industry for nearly a century. As the first school photography company in the UK to move to full digital processing, with a digital laboratory that is the most state-of-the-art in Europe, you can be sure of first-class images, every time.
Contact info
H TEMPEST LIMITED, TR26 3HU, ST IVES, CORNWALL , United Kingdom
- 01736 751555
- tempest-orders.co.uk
1.9
Poor
2K reviews
Replied to 99% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 24 hours
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Extortionate prices and poor customer…
Extortionate prices and poor customer service. The quality of the photos is atrocious and does not justify the price. It’s the first time my child’s school has used Tempest and I will be recommending that it’s also the last!
20 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello ELO, thank you for your email.
I am sorry to read that you are unhappy with your overall experience with Tempest. We do offer an extensive range of various products, including multi-image packs and electronic downloads. I am sorry to read that from the selection available, there is not something which is exactly what you are looking for. We introduce new items on a regular basis, so hopefully there will be a product available in the future that meets your requirements.
If you have an issue with the photograph that our photographer has taken, please email us at customerservice@htempest.co.uk and we shall investigate the issue further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Disappointed with the experience
The photos were okey, but the process felt rushed and the prices are too high for what you get. Delivery also took longer than expected
3 January 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Ivy, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that your overall experience with Tempest was disappointing and that your experience during the photography session felt rushed. We do say to allow up to 28 working days for delivery and i am sorry if your order has exceeded this time frame.
If you would like to provide us with your overall review of your day, please contact our Customer Service team on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) or email us at customerservice@htempest.co.uk and we can forward your comments onto the relevant department who can look into the issue further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Very confusing how to order
Very confusing how to order, process and buy school photos, overall took a few hours to complete
5 January 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Caroline, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to hear that you found our e-commerce platform difficult to navigate and I shall certainly pass your feedback onto the relevant department who will assess your comments further.
If you have any more issues with ordering in the meantime, please contact our Direct Order team on 01736 751555 (opt. 3, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) and an advisor should be able to assist you further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Last Order With Tempest
Due to extortionate prices and photos that don’t appear to have been taken with much care or attention, I have placed my last order with Tempest. If it wasn’t the case that it was the first sibling photo this year I would not have ordered at all. In future I will instead either take my own or use somewhere such as Max Spielman to have their photos done. £17 for one single digital file is absolutely outrageous, without even mentioning the cost of the package prices.
31 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Kayleigh, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to hear you are unhappy with the pricing of our digital download. It is important to understand the nature of the product. You are not simply buying an electronic file (for customers wishing just to have an electronic memento, we would suggest the Image to Mobile product), you are buying it with the license release for unlimited printing/file sharing, so the more you use and share the file, the better value for money it becomes.
However, I shall forward your comments onto our Marketing department who will assess your feedback further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Daniel, thank you for your review.
I am sorry that you are unhappy with our prices, I have forwarded your comments onto the relevant department who will assess your feedback further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Truly extortionate prices
Truly extortionate prices, for, let’s face it, a bog standard photo. Frame is crap, but judging by other reviews, at least I got one. Also, there is writing along the bottom edge of the picture, which needs to be cut off. Will never buy another picture from Tempest.
17 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Mike, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you are overall unhappy with our company. You are under no obligation to use our complimentary cardboard mounts, they are requested when placing the order and if a customer should require them after they receive their order, they are more than welcome to contact our Customer Service team on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) and we can despatch them to their home address.
I apologise that you are unhappy with the images that we have taken of your child and should we be fortunate enough to photograph at the school again in the future, hopefully we will take an image that is more to your liking.
Kind regards, Olly.
Excellent customer service
We received a good photograph but the mount was damaged. After contacting customer service, the issue was quickly resolved and a new mount was posted to us. Thank you.
Please could you also pass on our thanks to the lady who came to our son's school and took his photo in October. Our son is frightened of the camera flash and the demands of having his picture taken, but she took her time and talked to him and showed him how the camera worked, with the result that he was happy to have his picture taken, and we are happy too! Last year he was very miserable and wouldn't smile. Her kindness made a big difference to his experience. Much appreciated!
24 October 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Fred, thank you very much for your five-star review!
I am delighted to read that you have received a quick response from our Customer Service department about receiving another mount and everything was resolved easily for you.
We would absolutely love to pass your feedback onto the photographer who took your son's photograph. Could you please email us at customerservice@htempest.co.uk with all the details with the photograph and your experience and we can pass your comments further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Shameless rip-off
Shameless rip-off. They charge you £££ for uncut, blurry photos and they dare give you a 28-day delivery. Unbelievable that schools choose this company. Wish I could give 0 star.
13 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you are unhappy with the images that you have received. If you have received blurry photographs, please contact our Customer Service team on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) or email us at customerservice@htempest.co.uk so we can investigate this issue further.
We always say to allow up to 28 days for delivery, this is mainly to accommodate for the back to school window where there are 14 days to collect the orders and then up to 14 days for the images to be processed through the laboratory and the despatched to the school.
Kind regards, Olly.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hi Dave, thank you for your review.
I am sorry that you are unhappy with our prices, I have forwarded your comments onto the relevant department who will assess your feedback further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Absolute daylight robbery
Absolute daylight robbery
£40 for a few photos which are terrible quality
Rude on the phone
Shock horror the website stopped working the last two days of free delivery so now I’ve had to pay extra for delivery
12 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Karen, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to learn that you didn't have a good experience when you called us and that you are unhappy with the quality that you have received. Please contact our Customer Service team on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) or email us at customerservice@htempest.co.uk so we can discuss this issue further with you.
Kind regards, Olly.
The quality us poor and they are very…
The quality us poor and they are very over priced, just want to make as much money as possible, don't know why schools use them, and they've messed up my oder this time, not happy.
12 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Verity, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you are disappointed with the experience you have had with our company. With regards to the issue surrounding your order, please contact our Customer Service team on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) or email us at customerservice@htempest.co.uk and a representative should be able to help you further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Expensive. Uncut and no frames.
I bought the best possible package as a mum does for their first child's first school photos- yet they're not great sizes, not the best quality - they're not even cut. It's like a DIY job and for the money I expected them to atleast be separated. The worst of all is there's no little cardboard frames so I now have to go and buy a million frames to gift them to the grandparents...my nephew had pictures done in another school and was expecting the same presentation but this doesn't come close.
Also paid for the digital uploads which were missing in one package. Insanity.
11 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Jacklyn, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you are disappointed with the product that you have received. If you would like to discuss your issue further, please contact our Customer Service team on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) and a representative should be able to help you further.
I will advise that to reduce waste and our environmental impact, all mounts need to be requested upon ordering, but we can certainly despatch some to your billing address. Digital downloads can also be downloaded from time of purchase, by inputting the image reference number and your email address into www.tempest-download.co.uk. They are only included in the Variety Colour Pack and the Charity Pack.
Kind regards, Olly.
They exploit parent's desire for…
They exploit parent's desire for professional schoolphotos of their beloved children by charging exorbitant prices and making the options such that it is necessary to purchase more than one product to have more than one photo. For example, there are 'packages' whereby a parent can have multiple size of 26 photos, but the parent can only choose ONE photo from their selection! I ended up 11 different images following the photographers visit, if I wanted even just three of these produced I have to pay an extortionate £50 for a digital download that i'd then have to get printed myself, or spend a whopping £65 for a 'triple image pack. This kind of thing really should be done locally with local photographers.
Tempest should be boycotted and shut down.
10 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to hear you are unhappy with the pricing of our digital download. It is important to understand the nature of the product. You are not simply buying an electronic file (for customers wishing just to have an electronic memento, we would suggest the Image to Mobile product), you are buying it with the license release for unlimited printing/file sharing, so the more you use and share the file, the better value for money it becomes.
It may be worth contacting our Direct Order team on 01736 751555 (opt. 3, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) and an advisor should be able to assist you further with finding the correct package for you.
Kind regards, Olly.
Bad photos, expensive and ridiculous sizes
Bad photos taken by the photographer. Bad editing / photoshop. Extortionate pricing for awful sizes. Schools should not be using this company for school photos it’s ridiculous. Tempest do better or let better companies do a better job. Very disappointed in my kids photos
20 November 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Rebecca, thank you for your review.
I am sorry that you are disappointed with the overall experience that you have received with our company. I would like to point out that we do not edit any images unless requested by the customer.
If you would like to discuss the issues regarding your photograph further, please contact our Customer Service team on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) and a representative should be able to help you further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Unjustifiable prices
No point going into huge detail, every other review has covered it. Rip-off doesn't begin to describe it. Obviously they don't care about feedback and are making enough money to happily ignore people's qualms.
Olly, thank you for the reply. However, surely with the number of times this feedback has been given via Trustpilot, you're really wasting your efforts and making a mockery of the feedback by inviting anyone to get in touch to discuss things. If the feedback meant anything, some changes would have been implemented by Tempest by now.
8 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Fozia, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you are disappointed with our packages and prices. We take all of our reviews seriously and we always pass feedback onto the relevant department if required, If you would like to discuss our packages further, please contact our Direct Order team on 01736 751555 (opt. 3, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) and an advisor should be able to assist you further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Where do i begin
Where do i begin? How on earth do they expect parents to afford the cost of these photos? It's nothing more than a exploitative racket.
Look at your reviews Tempest!! Have you no shame?
Get this... I have 3 children. I would like to buy 4 different photos. 3 of each of my kids and 1 group photo. The cost for me to just download these pictures..... £70!!! Looks like we're all going to miss out on photos this year. And it's all down to greed.
How on earth do they have the contract to do this? Something needs to be done.
Get media involved. It's been long overdue
5 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Warren, thank you for your review.
We do offer an extensive range of various products, including multi-image packs and electronic downloads. I am sorry to read that from the selection available, there is not something which is exactly what you are looking for. We introduce new items on a regular basis, so hopefully there will be a product available in the future that meets your requirements.
Kind regards, Olly.
Agree with all previous poor reviews
Agree with all previous poor reviews. Extremely overpriced and poor selection on website. No doubt reply will say they offer a extensive range, however this is not true and you are offered random selection of photos packages, all it seems just to increase cost. For example you can't just buy 2x desktop prints or 2 medium, you have a choice of random packages only. Schools should be ashamed to use, it's seems like a well orchestrated scam. Prints are no better than anything you can print on the high street, are 5x the cost (at least!). They have that monopoly and they capitalise on this!
2 December 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello M Dhami, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you are unhappy with the prices and packages on our ecommerce system. By reading your review, only if you wish to, you could purchase the digital download which comes with the licence for unlimited printing on the high street and also have the free will to edit as you please.
However, I shall forward your comments onto the relevant department who will assess the feedback further.
Kind regards, Olly.
Poor quality
Poor quality, expensive but looks cheap. Don’t even put frames in anymore. The worst school photo I’ve ever had delivered and not because of the actual photo but because of the cheap poor quality paper used to print on. My HP printer does a better job.
29 November 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Steve, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you are disappointed with your order. Our complimentary mounts are now to be requested upon ordering and can be sent to your billing address if missed off.
However, if you would like to return your order as you are unhappy with the quality, please contact our Customer Service department on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) or email us at customerservice@htempest.co.uk for a refund.
Kind regards, Olly.
I don't often write negative reviews…
I don't often write negative reviews but I honestly can't get my head around the extortionate cost of this years school photos.
Over £80 for 4 photos?
Not just the price but the print quality is VERY sub optimal, pretty much what you would find in a typical magazine. Not the high quality "real" photos of days gone by.
I know we are free to return them - but you kind of have us between a rock and a hard place right?
27 November 2024
Unprompted review
Reply from Tempest Photography
Hello Gavin, thank you for your review.
I am sorry to read that you have felt the need to review our company negatively. We do offer an extensive range of various products, including multi-image packs and electronic downloads. I am sorry to read that from the selection available, there is not something which is exactly what you are looking for. We introduce new items on a regular basis, so hopefully there will be a product available in the future that meets your requirements.
As stated in your review, you can certainly return your order if you require, it might be the case that there was a printing issue. Please contact our Customer Service department on 01736 751555 (opt. 5, Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:15pm) and a representative will be able to look into your order further and see if there is anything we can do.
Kind regards, Olly.
Load of s**t my kids school have…
Load of s**t my kids school have changed to this Company.
Won’t buy a school photo again
So expensive you get a picture you have to cut it yourself.
The last Company was so much better and better priced this is just a pile of s**t
26 November 2024
Unprompted review
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