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
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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.
H TEMPEST LIMITED, TR26 3HU, ST IVES, CORNWALL , United Kingdom
Replied to 97% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 48 hours
Very expensive, not the best photograph. A simple task for the photographer to straighten the tie. Cost leaves a bad taste in the mouth for sure. £23 for a digital download!!!! Prints are so expensive this is the most cost effective route, but then the extra hassle of sourcing prints from a 3rd party supplier. I understand the concept of a markup but this is rediculous!
I would give zero stars if I could. It baffles me that schools continue to use this shambles of a company.
The pricing is extortionate and the photos are awful. They rush through taking all the childrens photos without putting any care into it and they know they can rip off parents who feel obliged to buy the pictures of their beloved children each year as they grow. This company makes me feel physically sick to the stomach each and every year that I feel that I have to pay for the abhorrent service, god awful useless photographers with crappy equipment and such bad experiences for my kids but I just want my kids to see themselves grow. You suck tempest! Get a grip and stop ripping off parents. Worst photographers ever
We recently returned home from an awesome P&O cruise experience. Whilst on board we purchased a photo to remember our time away but sadly whilst traveling home the photo sleeve become damaged.
I reached out to Emily at Tempest and explained the situation. She went out of her way to speak to the team on the ship and got us sent out a replacement photo and sleeve.
We are both so grateful for her help and the quick turn around.
Great customer service. Thanks again Emily.
I genuinely feel sorry for the poor customer service representative — “Olly,” as he’s called — who’s been left to defend what is, quite frankly, indefensible. It’s not his fault, but he’s the unfortunate face of a system designed to squeeze every last penny out of parents under the guise of “memorable school photography.”
This company’s approach feels less like a service and more like an exercise in exploitation. Parents are expected to pay absurd prices for low-resolution, poorly produced images that barely qualify as keepsakes. It’s a shameful example of style over substance — or rather, profit over principle — where the actual quality of the product seems irrelevant compared to the mark-up.
What’s even more disappointing is that schools continue to engage with companies like this. By partnering with such providers, they unknowingly enable a business model that targets parents’ emotions and turns a simple school photo into an overpriced luxury. It’s not about capturing memories anymore — it’s about monetising them.
Calling it a “service” would be generous; it’s more of a sugar-coated money grab wrapped in glossy marketing. Perhaps the next time schools consider working with such firms, they should ask themselves whether they’re truly offering value to families — or just helping a company make a 1,000% profit from a batch of cheaply printed photos.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Just a huge con! Money money money
Disgusting prices. Should be more affordable for parents. I was £30 for 2 pics downloaded sent to my email
Get a grip Tempest!!!
Reply from Tempest Photography
Total Rip-Off. At my daughter’s previous school last year, a digital photo download (from Pret-a-Portrait), hi-res and suitable for printing, was less than £10. Therefore the £23 requested by Tempest is the very definition of a rip-off. There are no excuses they can make, it’s just price-gouging from parents who have no choice. I won’t be funding this company.
Reply from Tempest Photography
The social media download offers an afordable option. However, the file has just 253K, which is really of low quality.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Another year of this terrible company taking our school photos, how?!
Our 3 'options' are the SAME PHOTO! They just zoom in a bit more each time, utter disgrace!
Reply from Tempest Photography
Still unable to download a digital copy of the photo we've ordered and paid for. The website just keeps saying the image is not available yet, try again in a couple of days. Days later still not available, waited another few days, still not available. What on earth is going on. Emails ignored, and ridiculous prices for what we ordered. Very disappointing 0/5 stars.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Awful company, they ignore emails, couldn't care less about your child's photos, they just want to get in and out...then paid.
Pathetic. Avoid at all costs.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Awful - simply awful photos. Son’s jumper matches the background so he looks like a floating head! Lighting is dreadful and capture itself is just horrendous.
I cannot understand why the school continue to use them when there are so many talented local firms.
Reply from Tempest Photography
After working in the photo processing industry, I understand that a few companies that conduct school photographs have to make some money in the service they provide, but to be honest, Tempest take the piss. The cost for a C41 colour photo print for a 8x10 would be 39p, add some profit margin for the company and staff costs, then I would be willing to pay £4 but Tempest are charging £19 for a 7x5. ok some might say it is to cover their costs in photographic expertise when the photo is taken.....erm no. you get better image quality now on an iphone. Schools could do this themselves.
Tempest take the piss, simple as that
Reply from Tempest Photography
UPDATE: Tempest did get hold of me and have confirmed that I should receive my order before we move as it's due to be shipped today 14.10 25. They have been in contact since I first emailed after a few days and seems all may be sorted out now. Well done. (Odered my son's photo's last week - could not confirm delivery ahead of time like I could for my daughters school. They arriving after we moving away. You think I can reach someone on the phone to speak to. They are very busy as soon as the line opens and hour later I must call in their office hours which I am calling in. 8:15-16:15 Mon to Fri and make it make sense.)
Reply from Tempest Photography
An absolute joke on cost. An utter rip-off. Here’s the thing - what choice do we have if we want school photos of our children? None.
A monopoly at its very worst.
And the biggest joke? £5 for delivery of ONE PHOTO.
Bandits.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Lazy work that costs a fortune.
I received 2 photos from the school, both my son’s hair is a mess and one he wasn’t even ready in the photo. Super disappointed because this was his first ever school photo and they’re both not good. Just 2 second more care is all it would have taken. Now I get to pay £20 for 1 photo or £30 for both? All packages are over priced.
Reply from Tempest Photography
Severely overpriced. £23 for a digital download. So it’s just cost me £69 for a digital download of all three of my children. They make the social media quality ones so poor that you can’t print them off. Complete rip offs for poor quality photos. How many pupils are there in the school? Do they really need to charge these extortionate prices. This is the most expensive school photographer I have came across.
Reply from Tempest Photography
The most money hungry company know, i honestly hope you got bankrupt you robbing pieces of human waste
Reply from Tempest Photography
£30 for 2 digital downloads is daylight robbery. Had little choice as I wanted the photos of my first and only child in his uniform, but I will be highly unlikely to order again.
Reply from Tempest Photography
I had a problem with the website. I couldn't find my daughters picture and the website was not working for 2 days so I missed the cut off time for free delivery. I emailed Shannon and she sorted the problem in no time! When I managed to sign in I got the free delivery back :)
Reply from Tempest Photography
This company is used by school, yet the cost to purchase images is extremely expensive and the quality of the media poor. I would at all costs avoid using. If your school intends or is currently using this business, I would recommend complaining to the school (in numbers) to find other firms. As a former photographer I just cannot get past the poor quality for the price. They disgust me.
Reply from Tempest Photography
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