Qatar-based British photographer on photos, cameras and passion

Doha resident Richard J. Bentley is a British photographer from Nottingham, England. Based in the country since January 2014, he loves all aspects of his photography and is particularly interested in architecture and landscape.

With the experience of working in close to 50 countries during his career, his pictures have been exhibited in large galleries, featured in magazine articles and has advertised international brands.

He has worked for BBC as a news director and field producer, also worked as a video journalist and has trained over 3000 journalists, video editors and camera operators to shoot and edit their own stories.

The Peninsula talks with the artist whose recent “Desert Rose” exhibition at Katara Cultural Village was a hit among the art enthusiasts in Qatar.

Tell us something about your connection to professional photography?

There are some things one feels drawn to, or that one has a natural connection with. For me, it has always been both the moving and the still image. I have always followed my heart and my passion, and I am happy to say that I have never been wrong in doing this. Photography brings me immense happiness. 

What camera do you use the majority of the time?

I get asked that a lot. I recently ran a workshop for new photographers here in Qatar, and for those wanting to learn more about photography. The basic principles are the same… mastering the exposure triangle, composition, understanding lighting and so on. You could put any camera in the hands of a great photographer and they could take an excellent photograph. Why? Because they ‘see’ the photograph in their mind's eye before pressing the shutter. You can rely on any camera, that is intuitive to use and has a great selection of lenses is always a good choice. 

Tell us about your most memorable shoot?

There are many, actually, because each time I pick up the camera, it is special for me. I tend to shoot right after sunrise or at sunset and both are very special times for me… sunrise, perhaps the most wonderful when the world is still. I remember one particular morning in Doha when we were having amazing storms; I was down at the Corniche using three cameras. Two for time lapse photography and one handheld for stills only. The most incredible storm rolled in and stayed over Doha for about twenty minutes. I was able to capture the most amazing shots. One from this day went to St. Petersburg in Russia as part of the year of culture between Qatar and Russia. The photography is called “Unbreakable”. 

A screenshot of pictures captured by Richard Bentley shared on his website 

You have travelled to so many countries, how is Qatar different from them?

Qatar is no longer somewhere I have merely travelled to, although I had visited Qatar several times before coming to live here in 2014. Qatar is my home, it is where my family is, it is where my friends are and I am in love with the culture, way of life and sheer generosity of the Qatari people who never cease to amaze me. Qatar’s vision for FIFA World Cup and for 2030 and beyond is a testament to the vision of its leader, Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. 

Were your parent’s supportive about your decision of becoming a photographer?

As long as I was happy doing what I was doing, they were happy. I have tried many things in my career from stacking shelves in a supermarket to working as a janitor in Denmark to carpet fitting and feature film workflows in Hollywood! I am always busy!

Your “Desert Rose” Exhibition was a grand success at Katara Cultural Village Foundation. What do you have to say about it?

When I think back on it, it was a very proud moment for me. Not simply that my work in Qatar had been recognised and to some extent appreciated, but that I had the opportunity to meet like-minded people; artists, photographer, authors and poets. Katara is a hub of creativity and is always full of intellectual, artistic and creative people who I was honoured to meet and talk with. Printing my work at up to 2 meters was also an incredible experience! I printed on canvas and had the photographs framed. The way I had processed my photographs, I felt a ‘painterly’ feel, which was appreciated by Qatari and expat visitors alike. 

As part of your work, you have documented so many places in Qatar. What kind of mark did it leave?

As I continue to take photographs of Qatar, I hope I am offering a small legacy of images that will stand the test of time. I have only begun on a cultural and artistic journey of photography in Qatar, and I have very much shifted my attention towards new horizons around culture, heritage, and legacy, vital ingredients in storytelling and photography.

What concepts do you keep in mind while you plan to do a photo shoot of different places?

That’s a tricky question and one I am constantly asking myself. If I am photographing from the same location as before, I need a little help from nature in providing amazing skies, light, and shade. A lot of my photography is down to planning. I rarely just go out and try to get photographs, there has to be a motivation, a vision, a fresh idea. Thing is, I have too many ideas and not enough time!

Does your work affect your family?

That could easily happen, photography is one of those things that can take hours and hours. Location scouting, watching the weather, getting to the location, preparing the equipment, backing up the files, post-processing and so on. My wife often comes on shoots with me and we sometimes take our baby with us as well! I do not get very much sleep, if you want to be successful you must be willing to sacrifice. No TV, rarely at the cinema and always pushing oneself beyond the ‘comfort zone’.

Tell us something about your upcoming projects

I am working on some more architectural shots whilst the weather is cool, and have a plan to create something very different from my usual style in the coming months. I don’t want to say too much and spoil the surprise! Needless to say, the images will be very high resolution and I will be rejecting every shot, apart from the very best.

What advice would you want to give to the photographers or filmmakers who want to make a career in this field?

Study art, especially the grand masters, study filmmakers like Kubrick, Nolan, Scorsese, Welles and take each photograph as if you were working on the film, i.e. you only have a finite number of images you can take that day. Ask yourself why you are taking the photograph before you take it. Read, watch and learn from others, but never imitate, only practice and master. Try working with only one prime lens, for example, a 50mm for 2 weeks and use your feet to zoom, rather than a zoom lens.

Rida Khan is an aviation author from India