PF Bentley grew up in Waikiki and graduated from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu with a B.Ed. degree in 1975. Throughout his career as an award-winning photojournalist and documentary filmmaker he has covered domestic and international politics. He has been a Special Correspondent forTIME and has published in The New York Times Magazine and The Washington Post. Bentley has covered many serious presidential contenders since 1980 including Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bob Dole, Michael Dukakis, Walter Mondale, Geraldine Ferraro, Jesse Jackson, John Glenn, Al Gore, Dick Gephardt, Pat Buchanan, Bill Bradley, and Bill Clinton. Bentley has also photographed people and politics in Cuba, Haiti, Panama, South Korea and El Salvador.

Bentley has earned several first place awards in the campaign category of the University of Missouri School of Journalism's Pictures of the Year competition. He was awarded top honors in 1984 for his coverage of John Glenn's presidential bid, 1988 for Dan Quayle's vice presidential campaign, 1992 for Bill Clinton's winning campaign, 1995 for Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America," and 1996 for his coverage of Bob Dole's final presidential run.