Poker photographer Jess Beck doesn’t just capture moments, he creates them. Known for his inventive lighting setups, fog machines, bubble guns, and confetti cannons, Jess brings a sense of wonder and theater to poker photography that feels downright electric.
His curiosity, fearlessness, and infectiously good attitude have made him one of the most exciting new creative voices in the poker world.
Below, Jess talks about how he took a leap of faith into photography, the road that led him to poker, and why he believes the game—and the people in it—are pure magic.
Finding the Frame: Getting Started
You have such a keen eye for creating good poker pictures. How did you first get started with photography, and what led you specifically to poker photography?
Thanks for saying that! I actually started photography later in life, not until 2016. I took a class in high school but thought photography was just for “fancy people.”
Years later, I was gifted a secondhand camera for Christmas and decided I’d become the world’s best landscape photographer. I quickly realized waiting around in a cold Nebraska park for the sunset was… boring. I needed movement. I needed action.
So, I started shooting local cover bands in terrible lighting with terrible equipment. That was my training ground, the trenches. When your gear’s bad, you learn fast.
By 2017, I was serious about learning shutter speed, lighting, and technique. My gear slowly improved, and in 2019, my life took a turn.
I was in Omaha to photograph the band Skillet, and through a random connection and some wild timing, I got tagged in a Facebook post by Haley Hochstetler, who was hiring photographers for poker gigs.
When she asked what I knew about poker, I said, “They use cards, right?” That was it. And now, many gadgets and adventures later, I’m here!
What was it like leaving a stable job and taking a chance on yourself and your art?
Oh boy, it was terrifying and amazing. My wife and I had already done the “leap of faith” thing once during COVID. We sold everything, bought an RV, and tried to make money doing photography on the road.
It didn’t work. We ended up in Mesa, Arizona, completely broke. We literally were counting couch change to eat.
Eventually, we moved to Minnesota, borrowed some money from my sister (chosen family matters, and I love you forever Kelsey Liddy!), and rebuilt our lives. We got stable work-from-home jobs, and for the first time in a long time, we were okay. Then Haley and Tana Karn called.
Leaving our newfound stability to chase art again was risky. But I told myself if I could book enough gigs to keep the lights on, I’d do it. We crunched the numbers, and it came out even. So, my wife and I went for it.
A year later, I can honestly say I have the best job in the world. All my ideas and experiments come from finally being valued and heard. Haley and Tana (my “poker parents”) pushed me to take that leap, and I’m so grateful they did.
“You shoot rockstars now,” Tana said. “Let’s make you one.” And I was in.
Lighting It Up: The Art of Poker Photography
As an artist myself, I know how important it is to have a distinctive style. Your photographs are instantly recognizable as yours. What do you credit your style and creativity to?
I come from the concert world, and that taught me how to capture energy and emotion. My first solo poker stop was at Caesars Southern Indiana, and I remember thinking, “This guy is about to win $100,000, and no one’s even here to see him win what is life-changing money to a lot of people!”
I wanted to make that moment feel like it mattered.
Eventually, I started experimenting with two lights, fog machines, and props like oversized cards, bubbles, and confetti. It’s all about creating atmosphere—giving players a moment they’ll feel when they look back at that photo. I want them to look like rock stars.
Where do your ideas come from? Do you plan your shots or find magic in the moment?
A lot of it happens naturally, though sometimes it happens with a little help from creative thinking (and, let’s be honest, a little weed). I’ll be watching a movie and think, “What if a player celebrated with a bubble gun instead of a champagne pop?” Then, I’ll try it.
I’m big on experimentation. Science and art share that curiosity. You can’t be afraid to suck at something new; you just have to try. I’ve tested confetti streamers, fake money, fog, light shapes, you name it.
The best part? Players get into it! Dealers jump in to shoot bubbles or toss cards. It becomes a shared experience that builds excitement and electricity.
What’s it like being a poker photographer during a big festival?
It’s like photographing a concert where no one moves. I arrive a few hours after play starts so chip stacks are multi-leveled and built up in front of a few players, walk the floor, connect with players, and shoot candidly. Then I edit, take street photos on breaks, and come back for more.
Sometimes it’s grueling. Once, I finished a Borgata final table at 7:30 a.m. But I love it. Every event is an adventure.
It's a good day to photograph some poker 🤙 pic.twitter.com/8mLHCXgWCL
— Jess Beck (@jessbeckpoker) November 10, 2025
I even came up with a better way to identify players, getting dealers to hold up their player cards for a second while I shoot. It doubled my efficiency. It might not work at every stop, but little innovations like that keep things interesting.
You often say, “Poker is fucking magic.” What does that mean to you?
When I quit my job to do this full-time, I promised myself I’d use this opportunity to become a better person. That promise changed everything. Poker has a strange, beautiful way of revealing people—our quirks, insecurities, and humor.
I used to photograph runway models who were constantly told how good they look, but poker players? They joke about double chins, that one hair that’s out of place that no one else sees but them, and everything in between.
It’s human. I realized everyone’s masking something, me included. That realization helped me grow.
Poker gave me the space to ask better questions, take creative risks, and believe that if I make people around me better, they’ll do the same for others. That’s the magic.
The Person Behind the Lens
Do you play poker yourself?
I finally tried it! During the World Series of Poker (WSOP), some folks convinced me to play in the media event. I actually won a hand with K/6 suited! Playing at a table with cameras on me gave me a new perspective. It made me understand what players feel.
The poker community has been incredibly welcoming. I’m tall and red-bearded featuring painted nails and a camera. I stand out, but people have embraced me. One poker executive once told me I’d lose my enthusiasm. I told him, “I hope I never do.”
If you could photograph your dream final table, who would be there?
It’d be filled with people who made me feel at home, so this is not a comprehensive list! But Liam Gannon (the self-reported “8th best poker reporter” in the world), Chris “Lefty” McLefterson Land, Omar Sader, Haley Hochstetler, Tana Karn, Christopher Keem (also known as Ginger Jesus and the only man with a better red beard than mine), Pedro Green, Rachel Kay Winter, and Maggie Fox.
You know what? My final table is a 10-MAX. Mallory Klaus is also in there because you can’t have Maggie without Mallory!
They’ve all supported me, challenged me, or inspired me in some way when they didn’t have to. It would be chaos, laughter, and colorful characters, and I’d love every second of it.
What’s a poker moment you hope to capture someday?
I want to take an image that means something to the poker world—a shot that defines an era or emotion. When I look at past GPI winning pictures, they’re incredible. I haven’t done it yet, but I hope to. I’m studying, experimenting, and pushing myself, just like poker players do.
Didn't even have the chance to compete 😢
— Jess Beck (@jessbeckpoker) November 13, 2025
It was a goal I'd been chasing all year.
I know a lot of people have said that it's largely performative, but losing the option to even enter sucks.
Hopefully something will take its place. pic.twitter.com/b0By371I53
Share a poker-related goal or two of yours.
Every stop is a new milestone. My first big breakthrough was learning to combine fog, backlighting, and card tosses. It looked amazing and people loved it.
Then I started shaping homemade filters in the shape of spades. When someone told me I was the first to do it in poker photography, it clicked: there are no limits here.
That’s the beauty of the poker industry; it’s open to innovation. My goal is to keep reshaping what poker photography can be.
Looking Ahead
How can people best support you and your work?
Tag photographers when you post our work! It makes a huge difference. Tips are always appreciated and go right back into props, gear, and creativity.
And my biggest request: please look up from your phone when I’m shooting! I want to make you look epic, and I can’t do that if you’re always looking down.
What’s next for you?
I’m launching a rotating street photography gallery on my website soon, ten shots per city, available as prints. I’m also planning a dealer-focused photo project, similar to your Shuffle Up and Deal With It book.
And there’s a video project brewing, something that combines poker, storytelling, and art. I don’t know exactly what it’ll look like yet, but I know it’ll be fun.
Closing Thoughts
Jess Beck is a creative force powered by curiosity, courage, and a little glitter. Whether he’s experimenting with innovations or capturing the soul of a poker moment, his enthusiasm reminds us what happens when you bet on yourself and keep your heart in the game. Poker may be magic, and so is Jess Beck.
