Photography is often considered a man’s world, especially in the fast-paced, high-pressure field of sports photography.

But Blaise Rellata has never cared for outdated narratives.

As one of the youngest female sports photographers in the region, Blaise has built a reputation for capturing raw athleticism and deeply human moments — frames filled with movement, emotion, and meaning.

I’ve worked with her, stood beside her on the sidelines of races and competitions, and admired how she moves with quiet intensity. Her camera were always poised; her eyes were always scanning for stories.

So when the opportunity came to test the Canon R1, I shared the experience with her. She used it to capture All Women’s Run Asia, an event not only celebrating Women’s Month but putting women at the forefront.

Breaking barriers one frame at a time

Blaise is used to standing her ground — literally. The sidelines of races, courts, and arenas are often crowded with men, but she’s learned to own her space and trust her instincts.

I first met her on assignment two years ago, covering the final leg of the Spartan Race Philippines National Series. Even then, I could tell: she saw things differently. She had an eye for detail, for quiet power — moments that might go unnoticed but meant everything to the athletes in them.

Like many of us in sports, Blaise’s love for movement started young. But it was her father’s old camera that opened a new dimension — one where she could see the world differently and show others what they might have missed.

In her early days, she heard it more than once:

“Sports photography is a job meant for men.”

The words stuck, creating a belief that tried to limit her. But something shifted when she witnessed the FIBA World Cup Philippines photographer pool.

Among the sea of men, she spotted Rio Deluvio, Jam Sta. Rosa, and Eloisa Lopez. Women — working, thriving, creating in this space. And suddenly, she saw a path forward.

She realized she didn’t just want to take pictures. She wanted to advocate: to help tell stories of women in sport and create space for other female photographers to dream, too.

Since then, she’s shot for the PBA, PVL, and became one of Smart Araneta Coliseum’s official photographers — often sitting right beside her inspiration, Rio Deluvio. Photographer Danilo Factor also played a key role, taking a chance on her and opening doors to one of the sports she loved most.

Getting her gear ready

Blaise has long made the most of what she had — working magic with her Canon 70D and a 70-200mm lens.

But trying the Canon EOS R1, paired with an RF 24-70mm lens, was like stepping into a new universe.

Yes, it was heavy. The 1-series body made her camera backpack bulge. It wasn’t exactly travel-friendly.

But even with its heft, she said it felt surprisingly comfortable. The built-in battery grip made switching between landscape and portrait seamless.

“If a photographer is used to the small, compact bodies of Canon’s R-series, using it for long hours will be physically taxing, especially using it handheld all throughout,” Blaise laments.

Still, she adapted. As always.

Capturing the power of women in motion

The All Women’s Run Asia started at 3:00 AM. The city was asleep, the streets still cloaked in darkness, and the runners gathered in silence, ready to move together.

Shooting in low light is every photographer’s nightmare. But the Canon EOS R1 kept up.

“With the Canon EOS R1, I felt like I didn’t need to assess the movements of the athletes and anticipate their next move while shooting, since the sequence of images from the R1 covered every miniscule movement from them,” Blaise explains.

It was a shift in approach.

“I am not a ‘spray-and-pray’ type of photographer, so it was new for me to just click away and just choose among the sequence afterwards.”

She had to shoot with high ISO levels — ranging from 12800 to 32000, depending on available light.

“The fact that the ISO is expandable to 409600 proves how capable this camera is for low-light situations.”

Even with some noise at ISO 25600, the images remained sharp, the stories intact.

What made this shoot special, too, was her choice of lens. For the first time in a sports event, Blaise ditched her trusted 70-200mm and shot everything on a 24-70mm. The Canon EOS R1’s 1.6x crop factor gave her more reach — roughly 100mm — without sacrificing versatility.

“Shooting felt way easier with the high fps and fast AF of the R1.”

She was stunned by the performance leap.

“My decade-old 70D only has 7fps and a 19-point AF system, while the R1 boasts an eye-controlled Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system and produces 40fps.”

Despite only having one fully charged battery, she shot continuously for 8 hours, took over 3,000 photos, and never experienced overheating. That’s the kind of reliability you need when documenting an event as meaningful as this one.

Made for her arsenal

“From a sports photographer’s perspective, I would love to have this camera in my arsenal.”

Compared to the EOS 70D and even the 1Dx Mark I and II — gear she once borrowed briefly during the ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship — the R1 was in a league of its own.

“The AF on this beast is on another level of accuracy and speed,” she said.

The 40fps burst rate felt excessive at times, but for Blaise, it meant more control. More room to choose the perfect moment.

“It made my work a lot easier with its intelligent AF system and impressive low-light performance.”

A girl with a dream, and a camera that can keep up

More than just a job, photography is Blaise’s way of documenting the things that matter — strength, perseverance, grace under pressure. Especially when it comes to women in sport.

She’s always looked up to Rio Deluvio of The Manila Times. Representation matters — and for Blaise, seeing a woman behind the lens meant she could dream bigger.

So now, she pays it forward.

“Do what you love and love what you do. Only then can you trust the process and hope that everything will work out in your favor. Be stubborn, be fearless, and dream as big as you can.”

For Blaise, the beginning may feel scary and uncertain. You will make mistakes, and that’s okay.

“Remember, everyone starts somewhere small, and along the way, you will find the right people who will help you grow. Once you recognize the patterns of the path you are destined to walk on, everything will start to make sense. One day, you’ll look back at every setback and see them not as failures, but as redirections — setting you on the course you were meant to follow.”

The Canon EOS R1 may be a powerful tool, but it’s the person behind the lens that brings the story to life. And Blaise Rellata? She’s just getting started.