Corporate Portraiture – headshot guidance

by John Bentley | Oct 23, 2018 | Advice, Announcements, Corporate, customers, Personal Branding

Are you looking to have new images created for your brand, next project, or just feel you need a good new selection of rotating social media imagery. If so, give me a call anytime and

let’s do this!

You have seconds to leave your mark in all this social media noise. Let Me, John Bentley get you noticed quicker and easier than before. I fit in around your schedule and workforce commitments. I capture on site and even at the desk if your brand and logistics require this approach and look.

Contact Me

Hours To Call

Mon – Fri: 11am – 4pm

Email: hello@fourtwographs.co.uk

Schedule an Assessment

Couldn’t meet a more genuine guy. Understanding of what you need/want without compromising his own style.

Rebecca

Great photographer who puts you at ease straight away. Love his work.

Amanda

He captures the essence of who you are, dissipating the facade and capturing an honest image. A true artist!

Sheila

Bentley Portraits

Portrait of the week – Endeavour We Must

by John Bentley | Oct 10, 2018 | Announcements, blog

After The Holiday

Ted and Chimp are back to their usual happy selves after pining for John ( the portrait artist ) whilst he and Julia had a well earned holiday on the beautiful Isle of Skye.

They did a pretty good job of clearing up after the party’s too, don’t think anyone noticed guys 😉

We had a photoshoot in the studio with a lovely lady by the name of Carole on Tuesday. Read more about her charity here pawsforkids

Lots of catching up of the usual necessaries. Paperwork, cleaning, emailing etc. Luckily to break the monotony of said chores John and Julia are off on location to Cheshire on Monday 15/10/2018 to do a photoshoot.

Professional Headshot Photography

Your unique personality My goal is to pull amazing expressions from you, so that you appear confident, approachable and likable. Invest in yourself, and others will too! 07929 968139 Suite 1 First Floor, St Georges House, 2 St Georges Road, Bolton...

The Headshot – because first impressions count!

Your social media photo needs to be a true indication of your age and build. There is no point in pretending to be someone you are not. The more accurate the photo the better. It needs to represent who you are, it is your first selling point in getting you noticed....

Preparing for the photoshoot

Preparing children for a portrait sitting Please, on no account should you ‘warn’ your children to behave themselves, either before or during the sitting. This puts your children under more pressure and hinders us in capturing their true personality. We are...

Coming Soon… #WhiteShirt!

For anyone who has spoken to John and asked him what next, as I know a few people have, I'm sure you'll have heard whisperings of #WhiteShirt. Well, let's put the rumours to rest. As of June the 22nd (did you expect any other date?!) project #WhiteShirt...

Festive Shoots

ASSIGNMENT: Chew the fat festive sessions are just that. You and your family/friends will spend 20 minutes within the studio set and be your natural selves. The photographer will capture up to 40 images that he considers to be the key moments. You will be given a...

The model for the day

On the day of our open studio here in Horwich Bolton, we had Xanthe come along on the off chance that a few budding photographers stepped through the doors. These are the images I captured on the day. Hope you like [gallery type="rectangular"...

Portfolio Building – Model Days – Part One

This weekend was a great weekend for portfolio building. Every so often we have ( casting calls )model days here at the Studios. What generally happens is, the person ( you do not need to be a model to enlist with us ) looking to become established will get in...

Thowd Ramblers Passing …

You may recall last year - almost 12 month to be honest - a wonderful gentleman and his dogs approached me to create a great family portrait of him and his dogs. SEE HERE Well today I write of his passing. Malcolm Samuel Firth 1938 - 2014 One of best men I ever walk...

Am I right for the job?

Professional photographer. Choosing the right one to work with you Ideally you should be making your choice of photographer based on the style of images you want to hang in your home. Fine art, Life style, Fashion, high key, Low key, Black...

Art In The Pen

Carlisle 2014 As many of you will know, this weekend was spent exhibiting our Landscapes over at the Carlisle Art in the pen We ( myself & Julia ) did the Art In The Pen 2013 over in Skipton and was so impressed with the organisation and footfall of the venue...

Project22 Bolton Preview

Project 22 - the end? As of the 22nd of June 2017, the photographic aspect of Project 22 came to a close. For those who have met John, or have read or heard anything about Project 22, you will know that the number 22 has cropped up at various points in his life and...

Investing in photography – why should I choose a professional photographer?

by Jenni Mynett | May 7, 2018 | Advice, Announcements, Art, blog, family portraiture, Festive Shoots, Inside info, Photoshoots

When you look around the walls of your home, what would you like to see?

Many people choose to decorate their homes with portraiture of their family and loved ones and it is this that can help to turn a house into a home, giving you a place that you want to spend time. A quality portrait should be attractive to the eye and impress the mind and as a professional photographer, it is John’s opinion that wall hung legacy portraiture is one of the most important pieces of home furniture you could invest in, and that is something that he has chosen to specialise in. His style is to create photographic art, whether that be for the home or for the office, and fourTwographs is one of the North West’s most diversified portraiture studios.

When investing in photography for your home, there are many things which you need to consider. Where in the home will it hang, and what kind of size is best suited there? What colouring needs to be used to complement the existing decor? What kind of location or background would you like to be used in the picture? But ultimately, what will make it feel personal to yourself? If you’re having pictures taken of your children or your family, dress in a way that will express how you are as a family, i.e. smart casual, or if you’re all mad on a certain sport or hobby, can you represent that and still look polished. These are all things that you can discuss here at fourTwographs, and John can help you to create the look you want, and even provide you with ideas you may not have thought of. Working together will allow you to beautifully depict your loved ones in the best way.

Furthermore, taking the time and money to invest in an independent professional photography company like fourTwographs means that the end result will be polished and perfected to a high standard, and should you then buy through the studio, you’re guaranteed that the prints or canvas will provide the ideal photographic legacy for your home for many years to come.

A quick Tip

A Professional Photographer will have Insurance Ask to see their Public Liability Certificate

How We Photograph Children

We want to get the best portraits possible of your children, so we have to make it worth their while! Making photo shoots fun and enjoyable means that your kids will want to do it time and time again. We like to let them get involved and take some pictures of us occasionally

Art In The Pen

Project 22 – The Great Reveal

On Thursday 6th July, the first half of the Project 22 exhibition went on display to the public in The Gallery at St. Georges House as part of the Manifest Arts Festival. Over 14 hours, John and exhibition curator Emma displayed 270 images, with 211 hung...

Mal Firth Customer Satisfaction

Last month you may recall I had a photoshoot with a wise gentleman and his three dogs. Read the post here. Mal, Sam, Brett and Molly. Well yesterday Mal came into the studios to collect the purchased fine art prints from that shoot. He was absolutely over the moon...

Customer satisfaction

Last month you may recall I had a photoshoot with a wise gentleman and his three dogs. Mal, Sam, Brett and Molly. Well yesterday Mal came into the studios to collect the purchased fine art prints from that shoot. He was absolutely over the moon with the shoot and...

Cake Smash

Three Part Portrait Cake Smash Mother and Son came to the studio with friend who had made the cake, especially for the little boy, Elliott. Shannon was really excited when she saw the set up. Elliott looked adorable, had dungarees on with ‘I am One’ printed all...

Festive Shoots

The Headshot – because first impressions count!

Making a connection

Before I connect with the shutter I connect with the CLIENT What this means is, you come to me with the knowledge that you are in control of the sitting. What this means is you turn up at the studios or we arrange a meet over some beverage. We sit and chat with our...

Monochrome Portraits by John Bentley Bolton

Monochrome Portraits Classic styling with classic lighting. These are monochrome portraits. The style is generally one light up close and personal, but seriously, this is not a bad thing. The light is placed close to the subject and controlled in a way that the...

Headshots – Social Media

You are not alone in having worries and concerns about having your photo taken We really have heard every excuse under the sun, and know exactly how you feel. Lots of clients feel this way and often come into the studio feeling nervous and apprehensive about...

John Bentley Says " Did you know ... "

Founder Photographer

If you purchased one of our Legacy Portraits of 30×20 and above, in size. You can have it hanging in your home for 7 days, and if it does not feel right, you can return it for a full no quibble money back guarantee.

YES that is correct!

Book a Legacy Portrait session, choose to have one Image created at 30″ x 20″ and above and we will let you see if it is fitting in to your home. Now who else do you know that will do that for you?

Coming Soon… #WhiteShirt!

by Jenni Mynett | May 1, 2018 | #WhiteShirt, Announcements, Art, blog

For anyone who has spoken to John and asked him what next, as I know a few people have, I’m sure you’ll have heard whisperings of #WhiteShirt.

Well, let’s put the rumours to rest. As of June the 22nd (did you expect any other date?!) project #WhiteShirt will officially begin!

So, what’s it all about? Well as the name suggests, it will require participants to have their picture taken in a white shirt – 222 people to be exact. Bet you didn’t see that number coming! What the subject does with the shirt will be up to them. Wear it normally, wear it backwards, wear it on your head, let your imagination run wild! The idea is for all 222 to use the same white shirt, but John has promised to wash it – occasionally!

Now, unlike Project22, this one will be undertaken as a spare time project and requires participants to pay a fee to take part, currently set at £111. A large chunk of this fee will be put into a pot to raise money for local based domestic abuse charity, Fortalice, with the aim being to raise around a staggering £12,000! Definitely worth the fee if you ask me! According to the Fortalice website, every year they have a shortfall in funding of around £85,000. A donation of £12,000 could help to redecorate 40 one bedroom flats at £300 a time, or provide 244 sessions of 1-1 support for a child affected by domestic abuse.

Also included with the fee will be the cost of a 24×16″ fine art print which will be signed and embossed by John, just in case (in his own words) it’ll be worth something after his death – cheerful! Shoots will last roughly one hour and there are plans for both indoor and outdoor locations.

So, for anyone who is desperately interested and intent to put their name down to be one of the 222, please get in contact for further information!

#WhiteShirt

What I aim to do

Just because you have a fancy camera and super duper lenses does not make you a photographer. it's the same...

The model for the day

On the day of our open studio here in Horwich Bolton, we had Xanthe come along on the off chance that a few...

Gillian Mellor – social media guru

Today was a great day to work with a person that admitted they used their own photograph in social media...

The Gothmother

It was the day of my booked Mother and Son photo shoot with John and everything was great from the...

Please Print Your Pictures

Be honest. They are not really much use on a disk are they? If you really care about your pictures of...

Headshots – Personal Branding for small business and artists

What we do, is create the dynamic head-shot that will enhance you and your image. The whole point of the...

Makeovers

If you are having a MUA with your photoshoot then please consider these few pointers to make the job and...

Mal Firth Customer Satisfaction

Last month you may recall I had a photoshoot with a wise gentleman and his three dogs. Read the post here....

What to wear for a shoot

A common question asked when people are booking a family portrait with us at fourTwographs Fine Art Studio...

Art In The Pen

Carlisle 2014 As many of you will know, this weekend was spent exhibiting our Landscapes over at the...

Things To Know About Your Portrait

Some of our clients do speak to us about their issues regarding the portrait sittings. Here are a few of the said issues and some words of advice we give to them

Project22 Bolton Preview

by Jenni Mynett | Jul 1, 2017 | Announcements, Art, Events, Featured

Project 22 – the end?

As of the 22nd of June 2017, the photographic aspect of Project 22 came to a close.

For those who have met John, or have read or heard anything about Project 22, you will know that the number 22 has cropped up at various points in his life and holds a special significance to him. The project itself has been centred around the number, and it has been very much a numbers game – from the ambitious initial target of 2222 faces to photograph, to the £22 cost for a print of your face, with 22% being donated to the children’s charity, Lagan’s Foundation.

But here are a few more numbers you may not have known about:

82 – the number of days John spent in the Bolton town centre based studio, photographing and entertaining the people that came to take part, from the 1st of March to the 22nd of June.

679 – the number of willing volunteers who heard of the project and came to take part. Each one signed a model release and leant their face to the cause.

41,000 – the number of images that John shot over this time period! This is the number I find most astonishing: 41,000 images that have had to be looked through, culled and then edited and cleaned up to John’s standard before they can be shown to the people to whom they belong.

44 – the number of days that the exhibition at the very heart of this project will run for, split into two lots of (yep, you guessed it) 22 days! The split allows John the chance to showcase as many images as possible, and leads us to our final number…

450 – roughly the number of prints that will be displayed during the exhibition, split across the 44 days.

I myself took part in the project, having seen it mentioned on a Facebook group for mums in Bolton. Using the booking system, I made an appointment on that same day and went along with my 15 month old daughter, Cate. I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive, especially as I was going alone (baby doesn’t count!) and I absolutely hate having my photo taken! In fact, I almost chickened out, especially as I wasn’t sure if I could bring the baby, but I’m glad that I didn’t. From the minute that I barged through the door with my pram, John was nothing but welcoming to both of us. I was rather nervous, and also a little on the shaky side as it was the day after the Manchester Arena bombing, but a quick chat and a bear hug later, and I was in front of the camera!

Being the good guy that he is, John also took a few moments to take a few shots of my daughter and I, and they are amazing. I fully intend to have more portraits done, especially as Cate gets older! He managed to perfectly capture her cheeky but loving nature, and I would wholeheartedly recommend all parents get professional pictures taken. In this age of technology, many of us will have a phone or digital camera full of images, but there’s nothing like a good old fashioned portrait hanging on the walls of your home.

The exhibition will launch as part of Manifest Arts Festival weekend and will be open 6^th July 6-8pm for the preview evening, and then 7^th July 9am-5pm and 8^th July 10am-2pm at The Gallery at St. George’s House. Following that, it will be available to view Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm. The changeover of images will take place on the 3^rd of August, with the second run of images being displayed from the 4^th of August to the 4^th of September.

I’ll see you there! Jenni (one of 679 faces)

Season greetings

by John Bentley | Dec 24, 2014 | Announcements

And THANK YOU for a great year to everyone on this earth. You have all contributed to making us a success. Whether you purchased from us spoke to us helped us with ideas or just clicked on these pages of our site, YOU HAVE ALL contributed to our lives.

Some of our achievements

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Bentley Portraits

4.9

Anthea Rogers

15:50 18 Jul 19

I was lucky enough to be invited for a portrait sitting with John and Co. OK what do I wear? Erm help.. Hmm. This too me felt so alien. Panic! set in. I needn't have worried.. I arrived it took 15 mins.. And they had me eating out of the palms of their hands.. I felt relaxed, and a cliche, I know, but I felt like I had known them forever. We laughed all afternoon.. Don't be afraid to grab the steam punk hat best prop ever.. Or anything that lying around.. Thanks John enjoyed the afternoon, more than I envisaged!! Looking forward to picking up my print.. I will be back.. Anth. X Professional and fun..

julie leigh

13:05 13 Jul 19

Thank you for giving me these very special memories of my very very precious Sid. He passed away peacefully yesterday surrounded by the love he deserved. He loved visiting your studio. I can't thank you enough. x

Vicky S

13:23 13 Apr 19

I took part in John's Project 22, I'll admit that am not a fan of having my photo taken, or even looking at my own photo, but John put me at ease and the photos he took are my favourite of myself, even the ones with my glasses (not often I don't wear them, never mind have a photo taken without them). He also took some photos of my son and was very patient with him.

Stephanie Malkan

20:30 03 Feb 19

Came in for a charity project John was working on. He's lovely and put me at ease straight away, I really enjoyed the experience. The quality of the photos is really good and the the price is good too. We had a slight issue with the money being taken twice however John rectified this and even gave us a free print for the inconvenience. Really good of him! He again went above and beyond when I lost my digital prints, he found my gallery and resent it to me. I would definitely recommend him 😁

Kate Davies

18:12 31 Dec 18

Met John whilst he was doing a charity photograph event, so when I decided I wanted some graduation photos he was the first to pop to mind. Setting up an appointment and going for the photos were really easy and simple. The photo shoot was just a constant stream of laughter - he even made my Nana very welcome. The shoots he took were amazing and more than I could have ever described to want. But when the photos were printed they were breathtaking. My only side comment is that I think John belongs on a talk show with all his memories and opinions, but without that talk we wouldn’t have built up such an amazing rapport. Thank you again john, your work is outstanding and I am forever grateful xxx

Scatt Scatterling

18:13 19 Apr 18

John is a photographer who can accommodate anyone - young, mature, modern or prim and proper! Mum and I enjoyed our photo session with John as part of his charity drive for Lagan's Foundation. We are thrilled to have chosen 2 images each out of the many that John did for us... if only we could have bought the lot!

Carolyn Rothwell

16:52 19 Apr 18

A wonderful guy who is hard working, loves his work and puts all his heart and soul into it. John made me feel extremely comfortable, so much so I went back for another sitting. His attention to detail is second to non. I would thoroughly recommend him. If you require a family portrait, a photo with your beloved, one of all your children etching then John is your guy and he'll put you at ease. I can't thank you enough.

Kezia Hughes-Iznerowicz

16:46 19 Apr 18

John is a great photographer and my experience with him was fantastic. He’s fun, friendly and approachable and I’d recommend him to friends and family. I’d definitely want to work with him again in future !

gothrose1986

16:41 19 Apr 18

John is a top guy who will make you feel relaxed and comfortable whilst remaining a true professional. The quality of his work is awesome and prices are reasonable too. If anyone asked me to recommend them a good photographer I would definitely recommend him ☺

Stew Ashburner

16:31 19 Apr 18

John was doing a charity project that I volunteered for... I am not normally happy with having my picture taken as I have a surplus of chins and a face like a stuntman's knee but John soon put me at ease with his laid back manner and we had plenty of banter. His studio is very well set up and the images he captured were absolutely brilliant. I'd highly recommend FourTwographs to anyone. John's a top guy who'll make you feel at ease and capture your best side.

Jennifer Mynett

14:40 19 Dec 17

What a creative, unique, nice and talented photographer. John is excellent at what he does and I have recommended him to many of my friends and family.

Caroline Bellew

13:40 26 Oct 17

This photographer made me feel so at ease and relaxed at the shoot, which is a big thing for me as I suffer with anxiety, it was a great experience and I have recommended to friends and family. X

David Casserly

13:31 21 Oct 17

John immediately puts you at ease while he works his magic. His photographs do get the essence of his subject, particularly the eyes those windows to the soul. Some of the photos I have seen by John have a gritty earthy texture while others have the translucent feel of an old master. I will be going back for more and highly recommend his work

Sheila Pye

07:42 21 Oct 17

John is an amazing photographer. His pictures capture the essence of who you are, dissipating the façade and capturing an honest image. A true artist!

Tina Fowler

20:38 13 Aug 17

Not for the faint hearted or those that want a posed and perfected airbrushed finish. But if your looking for real life emotion, expression and dark true grit with honest, humorous sometimes borderline personality hes definitly your man. Saying that please don't be put off apparently he's wonderful with children and pets too but you'll surely get more than you bargained for with this man. It'll be real honest and not perfect and pretty. Whatever your looking for you won't be disappointed .

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