Oliver Bentley Photography - Weddings - Portraits » photos

The Wickwire Kids: Portraits

admin — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:47:43 +0000

My friends the Wickwire’s needed some updated photos of the girls and I’m always more than happy to oblige Shooting these kids are a constant reminder of how fast time flies. The twins were all over the place during the shoot but Mom and Dad did a great job of wrangling them up and making them smile. Awesome job team Wickwire.

Canon 5D Mark II Sample Video and Photos – Mazdaspeed 3

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:31:14 +0000

I’ve been throwing around the idea of learning how to do video for sometime now. I’m always looking to add more to my skill-set. So when I heard that the new Canon 5d Mark II was able to shoot HD video as well as 21.1 megapixel photos, I knew I had to have it. Here’s a couple photo samples.

We all know it’s an awesome still camera so we can skip that and go straight to the video capabilities. One thing you should know is that Canon does not include any video editing software. Also, if you plan on editing HD video, you’ll need some fairly serious computer hardware. I ended up going with Adobe Premiere Elements 7 for editing software. It’s not bad but I’m not even close to using it’s full potential. I’m probably going to hit up my local library for some how-to books.

I’ve gotta tell you though, video is a whole other animal. I definitely have more respect for videographers. Along with creativity, you’ve got to have the patience of a shaolin monk, unless you’re using Batman’s computer or something. The clip I produced was only 34 seconds but it took me like 8 hours to cut. Granted I had no idea what I was doing but hopefully my editing time gets better. I plan to keep adding to the Mazdaspeed 3 video as I learn more. Keep a eye out for OB-VIDEO.COM, haha. If you want to watch the video in HD click the HD button.

Mazdaspeed 3 – Canon 5d Mark II from Oliver Bentley on Vimeo.

2008 L.A. Auto Show Coverage: 2009 Nissan 370Z – Still no turbo?

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:29:54 +0000

I was pretty busy bouncing from press conference to press conference at the 2008 L.A. autoshow. I didn’t cover the Nissan press conference but having previously owned a 350Z I had to check out the newest incarnation of the Z car, the 2009 Nissan 370Z.

My first reaction was, “What did they do to the lights?”. It looked like the new Nissan Maxima headlights, which I wasn’t too fond of. But after closer inspection I started to get what the designers were going for. I love the new shape and roof line. It looks just like the old school Datsun 240Z, a car I would love to own if I had the chance to pick up a project car.

The Nissan 370Z gets a welcome boost in power from a 3.7L V6 engine. This new power plant puts down 332 horsepower and 270 lb-ft. of torque. This is about 26 more hp than the previous model. Not bad, but I doubt previous owners will notice much of a difference on the butt dyno. I still think they should’ve come out with a tuner version of the vehicle that has a 4-banger turbo power plant. Take a look at the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe. They’ll be coming in both a V6 and an I4 turbo. Smart move if you ask me.

A lot of 350Z owners are enthusiasts. A lot of enthusiasts like tuning, modifying and upgrading. I’m not sure how this power plant will do, but the old 3.5L V6 didn’t respond too well to modifications. You had to drop some serious coin to put down more power. Granted, it was still fast and a very balanced vehicle. But not tapping into that huge aftermarket is a big mistake. Especially in our current economy. These days, not a lot of people can afford $30,000+ vehicles. So tuners and aftermarket enthusiasts are going to buy cheaper cars that they can upgrade to satisfy their need for speed.

If someone from Nissan happens to read this and a tuner version of the 370Z comes out. You’ll be getting a bill from me Nissan. I’ll also take a 370Z as payment if you would like me to continue my research.

SEMA Show Coverage: Motevo Mobile Booth

admin — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:29:29 +0000

While walking the north hall of the SEMA show l stumbled upon my old friends from Motevo Mobile. It was cool seeing my photography on posters that Nikita was signing. Which reminds me, I still need to call Mike up for a signed poster. I took a few shots of the booth and my friends and continued on my power walking tour through SEMA.

2009 Nissan GT-R

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:15:06 +0000

The Nissan GT-R is back and I want one. Ask any car enthusiast about the GT-R and the majority of them will say the same. With insane twin-turbo V-6 power, edgy looks, and a cult-like following rivaling that of the Beatles, the 2009 Nissan GT-R lives up to the hype.

A 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6 powers the GT-R. With 480 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, you’d better have your inhaler handy.

The simple-yet-sporty interior complements the feel of the Nissan GT-R. And just to show you this car was meant to motor, the speedometer was arranged in such a way that the 140-mph tick mark is where you would normally see 60 mph on most cars. I guess the designers figured you wouldn’t be spending a whole lot of time under 100 mph.

The GT-R’s exterior styling causes mixed feelings. Some people hate it and others love it. I, for one, like the edgy design. I think it’s one of those looks that grow on you.

The Nissan supercoupe’s 4-wheel Brembo disc brakes with 15-inch rotors bring everything to a screeching halt when needed, while the gold calipers provide a little eye candy in the process.

Well-bolstered leather and suede bucket seats do a great job of keeping your butt in place on those curvy mountain roads. If you’re wondering about space in the back seat, the GT-R probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re wondering if they put dual subwoofers in between the rear seats, then you’ve come to the right place.

The 2009 Nissan GT-R is rollin’ on DUBS! Not just your regular run-of-the-mill dubs, but super-lightweight, forged-aluminum dubs. 20 x 9.5 inches in front and 20 x 10.5 inches at the rear.

Purists out there might scoff at the fact that there’s no clutch pedal in the GT-R. But the 6-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission is responsive and probably shifts faster than I do. It gets extra cool points for automatically blipping the throttle to match revs on downshifts.

The rear end of the Nissan GT-R is iconic. The dual circular taillights are instantly recognizable. I found this out as I was almost run off the road multiple times by people snapping pictures from their camera phones.

Starting at around $70,000, this car is an awesome deal considering it’ll decimate sports cars twice its price. Unfortunately, $70k is not going to happen on this photographer’s salary. Not to mention dealers are throwing on a pretty gnarly markup. So until my kidney sells on Ebay, or the price drops because they use this car in the next Fast and the Furious installment, these photos will have to suffice.

Behind The Lens: Adding Black Skies – 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8

admin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:54:38 +0000

When I get a black car to shoot I try to find a nice open space to minimize distracting reflections. A good photographer friend of mine, Ron Perry, suggested a spot that would be perfect. Unfortunately, instead of a colorful sunset I got an overcast marine layer because the location was close to the water. The car looked great but the bland sky made for a bland photo. Luckily, my wife and I went to Hawaii for our honeymoon and I grabbed a great shot that worked perfectly with the black Dodge Challenger SRT8.

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8

admin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:01:14 +0000

If you looked up Billy Badass in the dictionary you’d find a picture of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, taken by me of course. You can practically feel the chest hair sprouting every time you mash the pedal. This might not be a desired side effect if you’re of the feminine persuasion but it’s a small price to pay to drive a vehicle putting down 425 horsepower and 420 lb ft of torque. This brute strength emanates from a 6.1L SRT HEMI V8 engine, so you aren’t going to be winning any fuel economy awards. But if you want that old school muscle look without having to worry about old school reliability, the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 should be on the top of your list.

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Subaru Impreza WRX STi VS. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:28:40 +0000

To say that there’s a rivalry between the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi and the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is a bit of an understatement. But let’s just say they’re not on speaking terms at the moment. As an automotive enthusiast, I think that rivalry is good. It raises the bar and we get bigger and better toys to play with. Take the current incarnations of these two vehicles. A lot of people are saying that they are the best they have ever been. Having driven both vehicles I can honestly say…they’re both pretty fun. But what do you expect from a photographer. I’m not a professional driver, nor am I an automotive editor. I do know my way around a camera however. So I say let’s bring these cars to my home court. Let’s have a little Photo Faceoff. It’s o.k. to be superficial in this situation. Succumb to your “OOoohhh Shiiiiinnnnny” reflex. Check out the rear ends, gawk at the headlights, and when you’re done, cast your vote for the winner of this Photo Faceoff.

Evo VS STi

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