The Journey: ft Marcos Valdés
While his formal training is in graphic design, Marcos Valdés tells us that his true love lies in capturing moody atmospheres and passionate moments through his lens.
Based in México, Marcos specializes in commercial, portrait and wedding photography, blending artistic vision with raw emotion to create images that feel both cinematic and deeply personal.
Recently, Marcos had the chance to photograph a stunning wedding in Guatemala. The main celebration took place at Lago Atitlán and a breathtaking ‘Day After’ session set in the charming city of Antigua. Having never been to these locations before, he arrived with no expectations, preferring to embrace the unknown. Letting the light and scenery inspire him, while focusing on reflecting the love between Sydney & Michael.
Traveling with the couple for an entire week, Marcos became more than their wedding photographer - he became their family trip photographer! Documenting not only the ceremony, but the beautiful in-between moments as well. However, there were some challenges to overcome! The wind at Lago Atitlán was powerful, but rather than fighting it, Marcos leaned into the elements. The wind lifted Sydney’s dress and tousled her hair, adding movement and drama to the images. In Antigua, the harsh daylight could have been an obstacle, but instead, it inspired him to play with shadows, turning the challenge into an opportunity for creativity.
For this session, Marcos relied on his Canon R6 cameras, primarily using 35mm and 85mm lenses, but also incorporating a 17-40mm and a Lensbaby Composer for a touch of experimentation. He’s been using Portra 400 from the Portra Original Pack for a very long time and for this wedding, it worked perfectly. He made subtle tweaks to accommodate the strong light conditions, ensuring the final images maintained the timeless, film-like quality he is known for.
Marcos comes to each shoot with a sense of fluidity, going with the flow and making the most of the moment. When guiding his subjects, he uses a combination of direction and natural connection. His ability to create emotive, natural images is rooted in his deep well of inspiration, much of which comes from classic cinema. Growing up, he was captivated by old B&W Mexican films, and his experience working at a video rental store as a teenager only fueled his love for storytelling through visuals.
For photographers seeking to develop their own authentic style, Marcos has simple but profound advice:
“Live life. Read books, visit museums, meet new people, and watch a lot of movies.”
He believes that inspiration comes from a well-rounded life, not just photography itself. He also credits resources like Mastin Labs, Instaproofs, Fundy software, Aftershoot, and Spiderholster for supporting his creative and professional growth.
Looking ahead, Marcos is excited about new ventures in commercial content creation and mini wedding fashion films, where he’s excited to use Mastin Labs LUTs as a key part of his color signature.
Reflecting on the journey, he is very grateful that he is able to travel to extraordinary places and document such beautiful moments for people. His work is not just about capturing moments - it’s about preserving emotion, movement, and atmosphere, turning fleeting instances into lasting art.
To see more of Marcos' work, visit his wedding portfolio at marcosvaldes.com/weddings or follow him on Instagram at @marcosvaldes.
