Meet Dave Bentley | Portrait Photographer / Owner of Dave Bentley Photography

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dave Bentley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dave, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I think the one thing that is probably overlooked when it comes to photography, is how much time, effort and expense goes into running a photography business. I think the one comment is always “it’s just pushing a button” or “you’re just taking a few photos”, but that doesn’t consider all the time spent on editing, location scouting, continuing education, traveling to/from the session etc.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m primarily a portrait photographer, so I focused on headshots, seniors, couples, families, etc. There’s definitely a strong learning curve in learning how to pose people properly (not everyone can be posed the same), and build rapport to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera and be themselves. Let’s face it, most people hate having their photo taken. It’s taken years of experience, practice and education to refine my craft, and continually improve and provide a great experience for my clients.

If there’s one thing to know about my brand, it’s that me, and my work are authentic. I create timeless styled portraits, and avoid most trends (no one wants to look back on photos in 5 years and hate that they were edited in a trendy style). I edit by hand, and don’t over edit – I want you to be, and look like you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There’s so much to do and see here in Arizona! I love taking friends to Sedona and seeing the gorgeous red rocks and hitting the hiking trails. Flagstaff is a fun little city to visit with out of town friends, and I also love going a little further north to Page (Horseshoe Bend and the canyons), and the Grand Canyon. I love camping on the rim as well.

If we’re staying local, I like to go hit the lakes, the Superstition Mountains (Lost Dutchman State Park) and kayak the Salt River. Plus, there’s lots of great breweries and local restaurants in the East Valley.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve been lucky to have a great support system from my fiance, Allison. She’s always encouraged me and pushed me, especially when I’ve felt I was stuck creatively. I’ve also been fortunate to be around some great photographers throughout my career, who have helped in all aspects, from planning, business details, editing, posing, etc.

Website: https://www.davebentleyphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davebentleyphotography

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davebentleyphotos

Image Credits
Allison White
Jenna Hall