Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle.
Hi Danielle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started taking photos when I was young. I had a little pink digital camera, and I carried it everywhere. I photographed everything and everyone around me. In high school, I took a photography class and got to develop film in the darkroom, which made me love the process even more.
One of my favorite early memories is taking my friend Gabby’s senior photo. We found a sunflower garden near Cheyenne Mountain, sat down among the flowers, and got the shot. Then the owners came home, and we hurried out of there! At the time, photography was just something I loved doing. I photographed my family, friends, couples, children, and maternity sessions. I was still learning and often just pointed the camera and captured what I saw.
My camera was stolen in 2014, and for years afterward I took photos on my phone. I was still the person who had pictures from every occasion. After my dad passed away, I understood why that mattered so much. I looked at the same photos of him over and over. They helped me hold onto memories I didn’t want to lose.
In 2021, I used a holiday bonus from my job at an independent living community to buy a Canon Rebel. Around that same time, I began training to climb Pikes Peak. My dad’s wish was for his ashes to be released there, and I wanted to make that climb for him. That’s where my love of hiking began.
I took photos of my best friend Kim and shared them on Facebook. Other friends started asking what I charged, so I offered sessions for $50 because I still thought of it as a hobby. One friend paid me more and told me, “You’re worth more than $50. Start a business.” That was the first time I seriously considered it. I knew I especially wanted to photograph weddings.
My first wedding was my husband’s sister’s wedding in Italy. I studied everything I could beforehand, from composition and natural posing to camera settings, and learned my Sony a7II inside and out. When I shared those photos, wedding inquiries started coming in. I photographed six weddings in my first year.
Since then, I’ve photographed weddings, families, couples, seniors, and graduation portraits, and I’ve photographed events for the Senior Resource Council. Over the past year, I’ve felt especially drawn to couples. My two passions, hiking and photography, have led me to elopements. I love the idea of joining a couple on an adventure that means something to them and capturing both the place and the connection they share. I want to make photos people can *feel*—images that bring them back to a moment and help them hold onto it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Photography has been one of the most rewarding parts of my life. Learning how to run a business has been harder. I’ve been fortunate to grow through word of mouth, and now I’m learning more about SEO and marketing. Colorado Springs has so many incredible photographers, so I’m working to build a brand that reflects my own story and the experience I want to give my clients.
That journey hasn’t been steady. I lost my niece to suicide on September 12, 2025, and for a long time, grief made it difficult to return to the things I loved. I struggled with depression and anxiety, and there were days when continuing at all felt hard. Photography was still important to me, but finding my way back to it took time.
My husband has been there through all of it. When I couldn’t see a future for my business, he reminded me why I started and believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. His support helped me begin creating again. I’m still growing, both as a person and as a business owner, and I’m grateful I found my way back to something I love.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a Colorado Springs couples and elopement photographer. My work has a dark, moody style that brings a romantic, cinematic feeling to the photos. I’m drawn to movement, connection, and the little moments between poses. I love using Colorado’s landscapes as part of the story, especially for couples who feel most like themselves outdoors. My goal is for them to look at their photos years later and remember what it felt like to be together that day.
What makes me proudest is hearing that couples felt comfortable and had fun during their session. I guide them when they need it, but I also give them room to interact naturally. That’s where some of my favorite images happen.
I like to say I chase mountains and love, and I mean that quite literally. I’ve completed 18 Colorado fourteeners, and I have the endurance for big hikes. If a couple dreams of exchanging vows on a mountain or hiking to a meaningful place for their photos, I’m willing to make that climb with them.
I care about the whole experience that brings people there. I share a location guide, outfit tips for different settings, and posing guidance so couples know what to expect. I stay in touch before and after the session and deliver their photos quickly. I want them to enjoy the experience as much as they enjoy the photographs.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happy is getting to capture someone’s love story in a way that feels uniquely theirs. I love learning who a couple is, finding a location that fits them, and creating photos that couldn’t belong to anyone else.
My family brings me so much happiness, too. My husband, Marcus, has loved me unconditionally and encouraged me to give my best to this business, even when I’ve doubted myself. He continues to be a source of strength and inspiration. My great-nieces, Penelope and Nova, bring so much light into my life. They’re full of love, joy, and energy, and they remind me how precious these moments with the people we love really are.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.danielleluna-photography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellelunaphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091333404728&sk=mentions
