Among physique photographers, Bellas' work was noted for having a distinctly campy, tongue-in-cheek sensibility.
[4] Bellas also produced a number of early homoerotic 8 mm films with titles such as Cowboy Washup and Big Gun for Hire.
[5] An extensive archive of Bellas' nude male physique photographs exists today, largely intact.
His impact on physique photography is largely felt and recognized, and the works of Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, and Bruce Weber are widely considered to be influenced by Bellas' pioneering style.
[9] Bellas was in a long-term relationship with favorite model Scotty Cunningham,[10] to whom he left his estate.