Showcasing Life

Born and raised in a small town in the heart of West Virginia, Benjamin “Ben” Powell is an award-winning photographer, multimedia storyteller, and internationally published photo book author whose work is rooted in the people, places, and stories that define life in Appalachia. His creative journey began at just 14 years old, when he discovered a passion for photography and visual storytelling that would ultimately shape his career. What started as a young photographer’s curiosity quickly grew into a lifelong pursuit of capturing meaningful moments, preserving memories, and sharing perspectives that might otherwise go unseen.
 

Living with albinism, a rare genetic condition that affects his vision, Ben developed a unique relationship with the world around him. Photography became more than a creative outlet; it offered him a way to experience, interpret, and connect with the world through his own perspective. His camera became a window into the moments, emotions, and experiences that make life meaningful. That perspective continues to influence his work today, reminding him that every image has a story and every person has a perspective worth sharing.

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Ben’s professional career began in 2018 as a university photographer for Marshall University, where he gained early experience documenting campus life and telling stories through photography. He later attended West Virginia University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Intermedia/Photography with a minor in Journalism. During his time at WVU, he expanded his experience through photography, multimedia production, and digital storytelling with WVU Sports, Campus Recreation, and The Daily Athenaeum student newspaper.

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Following his time in higher education as a student worker, Ben joined The Dominion Post in Morgantown, West Virginia, where he spent five years documenting the people, communities, and events of North Central West Virginia as a photojournalist and digital media manager. From high school athletics and collegiate sports to community milestones and human-interest stories, his work reflected a deep commitment to local journalism and the belief that every community deserves to have its stories told. Throughout his career, Ben has had more than 10,000 photographs published nationally, establishing a substantial body of work documenting communities, events, and people through his distinctive visual perspective. Although his professional role has evolved, his connection to the region remains strong, and today he continues working with The Dominion Post as a freelance photojournalist and community writer.

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Today, Ben serves as Pierpont Community & Technical College’s Photo/Video & Social Media Manager, combining visual storytelling, multimedia production, and strategic digital communication to highlight the college’s students, faculty, programs, and community impact. His work in higher education reflects his continued interest in connecting people with educational opportunities and showcasing the experiences that shape campus communities. Looking ahead, Ben hopes to continue expanding his journey in higher education while pursuing a master’s degree focused on photography and visual storytelling, further developing his creative practice, professional expertise, and ability to tell impactful stories.

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Beyond his professional work, Ben is an internationally published photo book author whose publications reflect the same personal perspective and dedication to storytelling found in his photography. In January 2023, he published Albinism Seen: A Story of My Life, a deeply personal photography book exploring his experiences living with albinism. Through photographs and personal storytelling, the book offers readers an intimate look at his experiences and perspective while helping families and individuals around the world better understand a community that is often misunderstood. His other published photography book, The Honor Flight, celebrates the experiences and stories of those whose lives and service deserve to be remembered. Together, his publications have earned him recognition as a two-time internationally award-winning author.
 

Ben’s work has earned recognition at both national and state levels. In 2022, he placed 16th nationally in the Hearst Journalism Awards’ photo story competition for his work associated with Albinism Seen. In 2023, the book was nominated for Blurb’s Books Up in Lights contest and achieved a high placement. His photography and storytelling continued to receive recognition from the West Virginia Press Association (WVPA). In 2025, he earned third place for Best New Photography and first place for Best Featured Photography. In 2026, he received additional WVPA recognition for lifestyle story writing and photography and earned one of the most significant honors of his career: Best Photographer/Videographer in West Virginia.

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While journalism and institutional storytelling have shaped much of Ben’s professional experience, wedding photography holds a particularly personal place in his creative life. He began pursuing his passion for documenting wedding days at just 17 years old and has since photographed more than 100 weddings. Over the years, he has traveled throughout Appalachia to document couples beginning their lives together, preserving the emotions, relationships, and fleeting moments that make each celebration unique.

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Ben approaches wedding photography differently from any other aspect of his career. Rather than simply documenting an event, he immerses himself in the story of the day, recognizing the significance of the people, traditions, and emotions surrounding each couple. From the anticipation before the ceremony to the unscripted moments that unfold throughout the celebration, his goal is to create photographs that allow couples to return to the feeling of their wedding day for generations to come. His connection to Appalachia also informs this work, bringing an appreciation for the region’s character, traditions, landscapes, and deeply rooted sense of community to every celebration he documents.
 

Whether working in journalism, higher education, publishing, or wedding photography, Ben remains committed to one central purpose: telling stories that matter. His work is driven by the belief that photography is more than the act of capturing an image. It is a way to preserve history, celebrate people, reveal new perspectives, and recognize the extraordinary meaning found in ordinary moments.

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For Ben, every photograph is an opportunity to tell a story, and every story is an opportunity to showcase life.