STAFF PROFILE: Istas looks back on her past career as a professional photographer

PHOTO: Holly Istas, Davis High teacher and former professional photographer, has always had a passion for photography and pursued her interests in her spare time.

By Sophia Young,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Ever since she was a little girl, Davis High teacher Holly Istas always had a passion for photography. She began taking photographs when her grandfather gave her an old camera of his, a Yashica 35mm film camera. 

“I played around with artsy photographs when I was little, like setting up still lifes and black-and-white pictures,” Istas said. 

Despite growing up with a camera in hand, Istas did not take a photography class until she was in college, where she was studying international relations and art. There, she learned how to work in a dark room, develop pictures, and print them.

Fascinated by the process of film, Istas decided to take a break from teaching in Chico when her oldest daughter was born and return to photography. She intended it to be only a short maternity leave occupation, but ended up starting her own photography studio and staying in the business for seven years. 

When she had her own studio, Istas photographed everything from weddings to business portraits to family photography, traveling as far as a small town in Devon, England for a whimsical wedding. The couple flew Istas there, where she captured the wedding in an old, stone Episcopal Church and the newlyweds as they drove away in their antique Jaguar getaway car. 

However, digital photography and SLRs became more and more popular and affordable in 2004-05. 

“Pretty soon everyone’s Uncle Joe had a camera as good as mine,” Istas said. She found herself unable to keep up with higher end photographers with fancier cameras and equipment, so she moved to Davis and found a teaching job at DHS. As of this year, she’s been teaching there for 10 years.

Istas’s experience with cameras still sticks with her. “I can see a picture and tell if it was taken with a film camera or a digital camera. There’s a difference in depth,” she said.  

“I did not know Holly was a photographer, but it doesn’t surprise me.  She is very creative,” said Kevin Williams, a colleague and good friend of Istas. “I think that’s what makes her a great teacher. Her mind is always open to new ideas.”