My passion for photography started when I was in college majoring in mass communications. This passion has stayed with me as both a non-professional and professional photographer for over forty years. My firm, J.Bell Photography, now situated in West Virginia, was set up in 1982 and was originally situated in the centre of the Silicon Valley area of Northern California where I specialized in tiny product photography primarily for the electronics industry and retail community.
Services
All photos in my gallery are available as custom prints for personal or non-commercial display purposes Occasionally, however, a photo may not be available due to commercial licensing. I'll let you know if you should order one that has print restrictions. I add to the gallery on a regular basis so check back often.
Reviews (10)
David Rouse
Feb 08, 2022
Choosing a photographer for your wedding is a BIG decision to make. You want someone who is fun, energetic and will get the best smiles out of you and your guests. Look no further for a photographer that checks these boxes and more. The package we selected included an engagement session, but we wanted to take engagement photos in Charleston, SC where we got engaged. J Bell was very flexible with us and agreed to switch the engagement session and instead take photos at our rehearsal dinner!
He was so amazing for our wedding day! He is fun, organized and made us and our wedding party relaxed and actually enjoy taking pictures before the ceremony! He made sure we got all the photos we wanted from our shot list and had great ideas for other shots we wouldn't have thought about! We got married on NYE and he was down for the party all night long.
His team captured all of our important moments, which will allow us to remember the night for the rest of our lives. Also, he was able to get our grumpy nephews (1.5 and 3.5 years old) to smile during family photos which is QUITE a feat! He also includes a photo booth with props in his packages. We found his package options to be all around a way better value than the other photographers we researched. He is incredibly talented and will ensure you have the best photos! You will not regret booking J Bell for one of the best nights of your life!
He was so amazing for our wedding day! He is fun, organized and made us and our wedding party relaxed and actually enjoy taking pictures before the ceremony! He made sure we got all the photos we wanted from our shot list and had great ideas for other shots we wouldn't have thought about! We got married on NYE and he was down for the party all night long.
His team captured all of our important moments, which will allow us to remember the night for the rest of our lives. Also, he was able to get our grumpy nephews (1.5 and 3.5 years old) to smile during family photos which is QUITE a feat! He also includes a photo booth with props in his packages. We found his package options to be all around a way better value than the other photographers we researched. He is incredibly talented and will ensure you have the best photos! You will not regret booking J Bell for one of the best nights of your life!
Katie Adams-Hurta
Dec 12, 2021
J photographed both our elopement (which required travel!) and our very recent encore wedding- and we can't say enough wonderful things about him. When we delayed our large wedding due to the pandemic, he was incredibly generous and flexible with rescheduling and open to our request to hire him for both events. At our elopement, he was energetic and helped put us at ease and was in the thick of everything, capturing every moment as it happened (our photos are incredible snapshots in time and we love every single one).
Our friends thought he was a cousin because he was so friendly; they didn't realize we hadn't actually met before our wedding. J is a genuinely kind person and someone you want hanging around on the day of your wedding. It's just a bonus that he's as skilled a photographer as he is.
Our friends thought he was a cousin because he was so friendly; they didn't realize we hadn't actually met before our wedding. J is a genuinely kind person and someone you want hanging around on the day of your wedding. It's just a bonus that he's as skilled a photographer as he is.
Amanda Coull
Dec 26, 2020
LOOK NO FURTHER FOR A PHOTOGRAPHER! My husband and I got married in December, and booking J and Hannah for our wedding was hands down the best purchase we made for our entire wedding! Our original date was 12/10/22 (which we had already booked J Bell Photography for), but we actually did the opposite of everyone else and moved our wedding up to 12/12/20 due to COVID.
My husband and I both attend veterinary school out of the country, but we were back in the states since we moved online because of the pandemic, so why not go for it?! We didn't decide to move our wedding up until the end of August, so we were extremely relieved to learn that the date we had in mind was J and Hannah's only free weekend of the month!
From initially setting up the contract and asking questions to moving our date and everything in between, J's customer service is amazing. Every time I emailed him, I was always shocked at how quickly he responded. J not only cares about the photography aspect of your wedding, but he also cares about all the other moving pieces and is willing to help where he can.
My husband and I were in California visiting his family in the few months leading up to our wedding, and we did not return to Texas until 8 days before. J was so understanding of this, and he worked around my school schedule to fit my bridals in just 4 days before our wedding. He selected the best photos from the shoot to edit and send to me the very next day so I could pick one to have on display at our reception.
As for the actual photos, they are BREATHTAKING. We love them so much and we cannot even begin to put into words how amazing they are. J and Hannah perfectly captured all the moments of our special day, and we are so grateful for them! Best photographers ever!
My husband and I both attend veterinary school out of the country, but we were back in the states since we moved online because of the pandemic, so why not go for it?! We didn't decide to move our wedding up until the end of August, so we were extremely relieved to learn that the date we had in mind was J and Hannah's only free weekend of the month!
From initially setting up the contract and asking questions to moving our date and everything in between, J's customer service is amazing. Every time I emailed him, I was always shocked at how quickly he responded. J not only cares about the photography aspect of your wedding, but he also cares about all the other moving pieces and is willing to help where he can.
My husband and I were in California visiting his family in the few months leading up to our wedding, and we did not return to Texas until 8 days before. J was so understanding of this, and he worked around my school schedule to fit my bridals in just 4 days before our wedding. He selected the best photos from the shoot to edit and send to me the very next day so I could pick one to have on display at our reception.
As for the actual photos, they are BREATHTAKING. We love them so much and we cannot even begin to put into words how amazing they are. J and Hannah perfectly captured all the moments of our special day, and we are so grateful for them! Best photographers ever!
Brittnie Boerema
Jan 27, 2020
J. Bell is the best photographer in the Austin area. He goes above and beyond for your special day. He is attentive and is able to give directions on how to pose and look natural in photos. I am so thankful for J. Bell and his work for our wedding photos. Very talented and very fun to work with! Thanks J!
Kacey Fuller
Feb 26, 2019
J and Hannah were amazing! I knew when my fiance and J hit it off that he was our wedding photographer. Then I met Hannah at my bridal shoot and was so pumped for this dynamic duo to shoot our rehearsal dinner and wedding! J shot my husband and his guys getting dressed and even had a friend come in to do shaves and man pampering. Hannah came into the bridal suite and kept me laughing when other vendors were pissing my bridesmaids off.
From every detail to every photo taken I could tell they were as excited as we were that day. They even took us out for some sparkler photos where J literally ran around in circles trying to get the perfect shot. I can not wait to see all the photos and we will definitely use them for any other photo needs we may have in the future! Thank y'all thank y'all thank y'all!
From every detail to every photo taken I could tell they were as excited as we were that day. They even took us out for some sparkler photos where J literally ran around in circles trying to get the perfect shot. I can not wait to see all the photos and we will definitely use them for any other photo needs we may have in the future! Thank y'all thank y'all thank y'all!
Greg B.
Nov 03, 2016
J.Bell shot our wedding in July 2016. He comes highly recommended. He is a true professional and he knows how to run a business. After having worked with all the typical wedding vendors over the past year like the venue, dress, cake, flowers.no one's customer service stood close to J.Bell. He's nice, punctual and he knows weddings. What stood out most to my wife and I is how quick he was to respond to emails, phone calls, etc.
He doesn't leave you hanging for days. He truly cares. He wanted to meet us at our venue which was in Dripping Springs a few weeks before the wedding. We walked around the site, looking for potential shooting locations and he took notes on every detail. We finished about 5pm and he actually stayed afterwards by himself to watch the sun go down and find where the best light was.
He truly loves his job and it shows in his work. The photo booth was absolutely amazing! Never have I seen so many people at a wedding photo booth. You will receive your images in a timely manner as well. Can't say enough great things about J.Bell and his wife--maybe they'll still be around for our kids wedding.
He doesn't leave you hanging for days. He truly cares. He wanted to meet us at our venue which was in Dripping Springs a few weeks before the wedding. We walked around the site, looking for potential shooting locations and he took notes on every detail. We finished about 5pm and he actually stayed afterwards by himself to watch the sun go down and find where the best light was.
He truly loves his job and it shows in his work. The photo booth was absolutely amazing! Never have I seen so many people at a wedding photo booth. You will receive your images in a timely manner as well. Can't say enough great things about J.Bell and his wife--maybe they'll still be around for our kids wedding.
Victor Genty
Jan 22, 2016
Chose J. Bell and Hannah after hearing the praise from other online reviewers. My spouse and I were looking for someone local and more importantly, provided a wedding package within our price range. Before hand, they met the bride at her hair and makeup appointment in Austin then arrived promptly at the venue at the agreed upon time and quickly integrated themselves into our wedding group. J. made my groomsman feel comfortable and provided the perfect mix of candid and staged pictures as we prepared for the ceremony.
After the ceremony the team was always at the right place at the right time to capture the first dances, speeches, and other the various wedding traditionals. We couldn't have been happier with our choice and would recommend to anyone looking for a highly experienced and talented photographer.
After the ceremony the team was always at the right place at the right time to capture the first dances, speeches, and other the various wedding traditionals. We couldn't have been happier with our choice and would recommend to anyone looking for a highly experienced and talented photographer.
Colleen Carswell
May 31, 2015
I am a wedding coordinator with Thirty Day Dash in Austin TX and recently worked with J. at a wedding in November (2014). He was absolutely incredible to work with from start to finish. Very professional, personable and on point with every shot. Photography is SUCH a huge part of the wedding day and it is so important to have someone that you can trust to perfectly capture every moment. I can't say enough great things about J. or his work!
Sam Hooks
Dec 14, 2013
J. and Hannah photographed our wedding in March and from the first contact with them they were professional, responsive, and easy to work with. We heard a few horror stories from friends about their photographers so it was nice to work with people who were always early and always available. It seems like showing up on time with the right equipment would be a business standard but as we learned from 2 other vendors on our wedding day, that's sadly not the case. Hannah actually acted as my wife's concierge for part of the afternoon, putting out fires and keeping her calm, all while shooting the hair and makeup process. They were the last to leave the reception and out photos are gorgeous! I've turned a few others on to them and they rave about the service as well.
David Havard
Nov 06, 2013
We researched and talked to almost 25 photographers before our wedding and Jay was by far the most passionate and knowledgeable about what he wanted to do. All of our sessions were laid back and fun and he and his assistant were a huge help on our wedding day. The photos came out better than we imagined and we get compliments on them constantly. About 2 months ago, our computer was stolen and we were devastated about losing all of those pictures.
I called Jay and we had a full backup in our hands in less than a day. Absolutely fantastic to work with- professional, fast, knowledgeable, and helpful. Highest recommendation.
I called Jay and we had a full backup in our hands in less than a day. Absolutely fantastic to work with- professional, fast, knowledgeable, and helpful. Highest recommendation.
