Complaint Review: Prestige Portraits - Smyrna Tennessee

I have unfortunately been buying picures from this company for many years due to the fact that they have a contract with my kids school.  Both of my kids have had pictures made by this company for years.  I paid approximately $700 for my oldest childs senior picures. 

I had taken my youngest child to their studio in Smyrna, Tn to have senior picures made last summer.  It was an extremely hot day and I was told by the photographer doing the drape pictures that we would probably have to have them redone.  These were the last ones taken that day and hair and makeup were not doing well in the heat, even though we were inside a building.  The photographer kept leaving the room to complain to the front desk about the heat.

When we received the proofs a month or so later, my child was not happy at all with the drape pictures and wanted to have them reshot.  She is on the yearbook staff and told the teacher that we were going to have them redone.  The teacher gave my child a coupon for a free sitting fee so we would not have to pay this again.  I started calling the studio to schedule a reshoot and ask if I can use the coupon.  I called almost every week day for 5 weeks since we were on a deadline for the yearbook.  No one ever answered the phone.  The message said " Leave your name and number and we will call you back by the end of the day" I left so many messages and never once received a call back.

Since my time was running out and so were available appointments, I tried to go to the website and schedule a reshoot, this is not possible.  I don't recall that their website even mentioned reshoots. I then decided that I would just schedule another shoot on the website and see what happens. I rescheduled the shoot along with a couple extra clothing changes also. When the appointment time came, my oldest child took my daughter along with the coupon.  Since I did not know if I could actually use the coupon, I sent money also.
 
When they arrived they explained the situation.  The people at this place demanded to know where they got the coupon.  They were told that only "unfortunate" people were allowed to use coupons.  Prestige then called the principal of the school to see if they were given the coupon, or I assume, stole it.  My kids were told that they should not have scheduled the appointment on line, they should have called....hmm. When told that I had called many, many times, their response was "Oh".  Prestige then said that we could only have the drape shots remade, none of the others, even if we were willing to pay another sitting fee, since the exact same clothes have to be used.  My kids asked for the coupon back, but were told they could not have it back.  They were shown to a dressing room, but by then, after having been accused of theft and yelled at, were in no mood to have picures taken.  My child that was going to be photographed had actually broken out in hives.  My oldest decided to go ahead and leave.  The studio manager followed them to the door trying to block them from leaving and demanding to retake the pictures! 

I just wanted to let others know what kind of company this is.  I refuse to give them another dime of my money.  I took my daughter to a local photographer and for $75 (plus a $25 tip since I was so happy with the price), got just as many poses with more outfits, got to keep the CD and was given permission to make as many copies as I wish.  Since the school is under contract, we will have to use the picure for the yearbook, but I will not have to pay an additional amount.  Thank goodness this is my youngest child and I will never have to deal with these colassal jerks again.