Marc Rovira

Hi! I am Marc Rovira, the photographer behind Blanc Mate. I’ve always been drawn to the digital world. I was born in the 90’s and since I was little, I knew that when I grew up I wanted to make a living from something related to the audiovisual industry.

At the age of 18, I entered University with the intention of learning everything in the audiovisual and multimedia degree, where I signed up. How wrong I was… I learned a few bases, but today I define myself as a self-taught photographer. YouTube, workshops and my biggest mistakes have been the best teachers I’ve ever had.

After going around a lot and trying almost every specialty in photography, I saw that weddings gave me something that everything else didn’t. Call it the adrenaline of the rush, the responsibility of capturing THE moment, I experience all that pressure as a challenge that makes me enjoy my work a lot.

It took me time to develop the natural style that I have today. I try to document the day as if I were just another guest. Without cutting moments or preparing anything. When it’s editing time, I try to leave the photo with a good level of saturation and contrast. I don’t like to desaturate the greens or alter the tones too much. In general, I stick to skin tones as a guide to see if the editing is good.

My first camera was a Sony Alpha, though during Uni I switched to Canon (5D Mark II). A couple of years ago I tried going back to Sony with the Sony A7 III but was not convinced by its button and menu layout. What convinced me was the mirror system itself. So when the Canon EOS R came out, I didn’t hesitate and go for it.

This is currently my main camera and I complement it with the Canon 5D Mark III. It is already somewhat old, but it still holds. My idea was to replace it this year with the new R6, but with the pandemic halting and the reporting/income braking, I think I’ll wait. They are two cameras that complement each other very well.

Cameras

Canon EOS R – My main workhorse. Amazing features, solid colours and a very consistent focus system.

Canon 5D Mark III – The backup body. So well made, pretty decent image quality although is not the same as the R or the 5D Mark IV. Built like a tank, some of the only features I still miss in the mirrorless world.

Canon 5D MarkII – Back in time, it was my first pro camera. I will never sell this body as I have some special connection with it. It still works but I rarely use it.

Lenses

Canon 35mm f/1.4L – Great quality and versatile lens. Some time ago I could do 90% of a wedding with it. Now I valance the use of the 35 with other lenses.

Canon 100mm f/2.8L – Basically for the ceremony time and some close ups. I know most photographers say the combo 35-85 is a nice choice, but for me, the 85 left some room I don’t miss with the 100.

Canon 17-40mm f/4L – For a few group shoots or location photos. I also use this lens on the dancefloor.

Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L – The backup lens. If something ever happens to the 35 or the 100, I know I can rely on this.

Canon 40mm f/2.8 – Not for weddings but fun to use due to the small size. I call him the vacation lens.

Canon 24mm TS f/3.5L – Used for architecture and weddings if there is time for, as its a slow lens to use. But the sharpness and the colors are beautiful once you get the picture!

Lights/Triggers

Godox AD200 – In the beginning, I used this light only for my architectural works, but in the end, I find it very versatile for a wedding as well. Paired with the XproC is a killer combo. You can put this light where you want and it will not fail you. Plenty of power, small, and lightweight” considering the features. Also, the Godox battery system is a joy.

Godox V1 – I was not convinced to give up my old but trusty Metzz flash for this one. But once I tried it, I never looked back! Mounted on the Mark III it is not much, just another speedlight. But when I put this in the EOS R, I have plenty control. It’s quick to navigate, practical and very reliable. I love the spread of light of the round head.

Godox XproC – This trigger is a must for every Godox owner. Easy to use and navigate. Set it up once and forget about it. Do you need to change the power of the AD200 that it’s 15 meters away? Grab the camera, push a couple of buttons in the Xpro and that’s it, done! A must for the OCF in the ceremony or on the dancefloor.

Bags/Straps

I bought a Lowepro bag about eight or nine years ago. It’s still alive and working, but I don’t know exactly what model it is. I suppose the equivalent nowadays would be the Lowepro ProTactic 350 AW II.

Tripods

Manfrotto 055 + 410 head – Not for weddings, but it’s a solid tripod to rely on. I use this basically for my product or architectural work.

Hardware & Software

It all starts with culling in Photo Mechanic. I know I could do this in Lightroom as well, but I find Photo Mechanic is so practical.

Then I use Lightroom for 90% of my editing process. Over the years I’ve developed my own presets that work for me and my shooting style. They are not perfect, I know, but it fits my shooting style and combine so well with the slightly overexposed pictures I take.

Once I get my Jpegs from Lightroom, I end up with the last 10% of my workflow in Alien Skin/Exposure. JPEGmini is the last step before delivering the pictures to the client.

Misc.

A ton of batteries and the same amount of Sandisk SD cards. Toshiba and WD Hard Disk for storage once the job is done.

Final Word

Choose, try and keep what works for you. It’s that simple. What works for others doesn’t need to fit your creative process. Evaluate everything.

Talk to everyone. Even if you are in a congress or in a wedding, you never know if you will meet someone who could be your next biggest friend in this sector. Or maybe some will ask for your services later. Don’t be an extrovert, but keep up with your name between people.

This is a business. I came from the branch of photographers that sees photography as art. Yes, it is. But if you want to survive, you need to start thinking in sales, business management and in investment terms.

What brings me to the next point – diversify. Don’t rely just on one or two types of photographic services. If one fails due to a pandemic, you are sold to the other one. And cutting the income by half is not a good plan. Keep in mind to develop some passive income which can help, or maybe some little jobs that don’t cost you much time/effort but can be recurrent with a client over time.

Enjoy the human part of our work and deliver the service you would want to receive. Think in the long term and satisfied clients will come!

www.blancmate.com | @blancmatefoto