Photographs have long been a part of our lives. They capture memorable moments in our history, such as our school years, weddings, reunions, and other events. Every family has portraits on display in their home to share with family and friends.
But, that is rapidly changing with the advent of the digital camera and the camera phone. Jack Tester, local photographer, who with his wife, Vella, own Best Photos, sees the invention of the camera phone as more revolutionary than the digital camera.
“Professional photography is going away. I can’t say it is going to happen today, next week, next month, or even next year, but at some point in the future it will. The transition has begun. You cannot change it. You can only adapt,” Tester said.
This year, Best Portraits was chosen as Best Photography Studio by STAR readers in the Readers’ Choice Contest.
Tester has been making photos for 41 years, having worked with Olan Mills before beginning his own business 20 years ago. Why did he become a photographer? “I like being able to give someone something they can’t give themselves — memories and history that is recorded one twenty-fifth second (shutter speed) at a time,” he shared.
Tester recalls buying his first camera at a pawn shop in Bristol for $25. “When we opened Best Photos, we had nothing but a camera. We had to start from scratch, to even drumming up business,” he said.
Vella now works in the business, handling the office and business end of it. “We make sure every photo package is checked before it leaves and goes to the school,” Vella shared.
In addition to school photos, Best Photos makes senior portraits, class reunions, and family portraits.
While photography has changed a lot through the years, Tester said the biggest transition was from film to digital. “How many people do you know who still carry photos in their wallet? Very few. Most if they want to show you a photo, will pull out their phone and flip through it to show you bunches of pictures,” he said. “It is a changing business.”
“The changes that digital photography has brought along are immense. In former days, we loaded our cameras with film, took the shots, brought the film back to the studio where it was processed and printed. Suddenly, digital processors replaced film. Now, we load our digital cameras with memory cards, take no heed of film expiration dates, forget the number of exposures on a roll, and have no need to worry about how many rolls we brought along with us on a certain day. People have their phone cameras with them all the time. They can take photographs anytime of anything, everything,” Tester explained.
However, he was quick to assert that a portrait and picture are two different things. “A picture is what you get at the moment. A portrait takes planning. Anybody can take a picture, but not everyone can make a portrait,” Tester said.
What makes for a good photo? “Pose and expression,” said Tester. “A portrait is like a good meal. Everything on the plate is good and compliments the other dishes. In a portrait, everything is complimentary from the pose, the expression, to the attire.”
Tester said there was sort of a magic seeing his images come to life. He has a certain amount of pride when he captures a moment in time.
Tester, who takes prides in his work, especially enjoys taking photos of children. “I enjoy being with them,” he said.
Tester said the most important photo he ever took was that of a dog. “It was 5 or 6 p.m., and I was working late in the studio, when a woman came by and asked if I would make a photo of her dog. She and her husband were truck drivers, and the dog had been riding in the truck with them for 16 years — from the time they had picked it up as a puppy at a truck stop. She explained that the dog was terminally ill, and she would like to have a portrait of it to keep. I was glad to make the photo,” Tester shared as tears welled up in his eyes. “It was a tender time.”
He has many stories to tell about the photos he has taken and the subjects in them, enough to write a book, and he enjoys sharing them.
While his occupation as a professional photographer is changing, Tester is still out there shooting photos, one subject at a time. Good photographs make for good conversation. They are a subject of pride, and they are a record of history. That’s enough for Tester to keep carrying his camera and photographing the events in people’s lives.
In addition to Jack and Vella, Best Photos has two part-time employees at their Elk Avenue business.
They are the parents of two grown children, John and Tiffany.
“I am very thankful to the readers of the STAR and the community for choosing us as the Best Photography Studio. We hope to be around for a long time to capture the important moments in their lives,” Tester said.