Meet Daniel Costa | Travel Photographer & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Daniel Costa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daniel, how has your work-life balance changed over time?

I’m not a fan of the term ‘work-life balance’ instead I like to think of it as ‘work-life integration’. We’re surrounded by this idea that work life and personal life should remain separate. For me, viewing life this way creates friction and seeks conflict. I believe in a holistic approach. By understanding both aspects, we can harmonize these two areas in our lives and create synergy.

My day-to-day is ever-changing so it’s important to remain flexible while still meeting the wants and needs of my clients, and myself. I’m constantly adjusting my daily, weekly, and monthly schedules to accommodate a holistic and healthy living approach.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

In a world where we’re surrounded by content, it’s difficult to differentiate from other creators when we’re all creating content about the same topics. Nonetheless, what I feel sets me apart is how I edit my videos, and allowing my personality to show. 

I try to make learning more fun because, in my experience, learning something get’s boring quickly if you’re not engaging. I try to really put my personality throughout my content. I also develop  blog posts, provide guides, workflow resources, and other learning materials to help elevate my audience’s understanding of Photography, Editing, and Travel.

My first ebook releases soon! It’s going to be focused on photography from beginners to advanced alike!

The road to becoming a full-time travel photographer career has been long, and definitely not easy. I’m nowhere near where I see myself. In the last few months, I have excelled in so many areas. I just left bartending to really hit the ground running with my travel photography career.

I’ve overcome a lot of the challenges by telling myself that everything can’t be done in a day. I’ve experienced burnout before and it is not fun. I’ve recently run into the same wall, and it’s all a learning process. New clients and projects come in, life can change on a dime, and things don’t always go as expected, so it’s important to remind yourself that as long as you’re 1% better than the day before, you’re making progress.

My brand and story revolve around photography, editing, and travel. Whoever engages with my content, I’d like to convey that anyone can be successful as a creative. I also want people to have fun in the process.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Here’s a week long itinerary of what I would do if my friends came to visit me! (Every morning we start off right at Dawn Patrol Coffee Shop because they have the best latte’s in Albuquerque.)

Day 1: Arrival & Old Town

Morning: Head to Old Town Albuquerque, where you can explore the historic plaza, visit the San Felipe de Neri Church, and browse through charming boutiques.

Lunch: Church Street Café for traditional New Mexican cuisine.

Afternoon: Ride along the Rio Grande Bosque Trail or visit the Albuquerque BioPark, which includes the zoo, aquarium, and botanical gardens.

Dinner: Dinner at the High Noon Restaurant & Saloon.

Day 2: Balloon Fiesta Park & Sandia Peak Tramway

Morning: Visit the Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum and learn about Albuquerque’s history in hot air ballooning.

Lunch: Try a food truck near Balloon Fiesta Park or visit the Range Café.

Afternoon: Take the Sandia Peak Tramway for breathtaking views of the city and Sandia Mountains.

Dinner: Dine at the Ten 3 Restaurant at the top of Sandia Peak and be able to watch the sunset from the top of the Sandia’s.

Day 3: Petroglyph National Monument & Museums

Morning: Hike or walk the trails at Petroglyph National Monument, where you can see ancient Native American rock carvings.

Lunch: Head to Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm for a farm-to-table dining experience.

Afternoon: Visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to learn about the local Pueblo tribes’ history and culture. The make our way north to Ship rock and towards Taos for the evening.

Dinner: Dine at any of the local Taos restaurants and stay the night in Taos.

Day 4: Continue to Silverton, CO

Morning: Do a sunrise hike in the Taos Mountain Range to Wheeler Peak.

Afternoon: Have lunch at one of the restaurants at the Taos Ski Resort and explore the village.

Dinner: Make our way towards Durango and Silverton, CO for dinner and stay the night.

Day 5: Ice Lakes Trail, Silverton CO

Morning: Do a sunrise hike of the Ice Lakes Trail in Silverton, CO.

Afternoon: Head into Ouray (The Switzerland of the U.S.) for lunch at one of the BBQ places along the strip. Head back out along the Million Dollar Highway afterwards for some amazing views and short trail stops, and old mining towns.

Dinner: Eat dinner back in Durango at T’s Smokehouse for some of the best BBQ in town. Get back to ABQ at night after a short stop in Sante Fe to check out the old town at night.

Day 6: Outdoor Adventure

Morning: Hike in the Sandia Mountains. There are various trails for different skill levels.

Lunch: Pack a picnic or head to a local spot like Public House or Dawn Patrol Coffee Shop.

Afternoon: Go horseback riding at the Tamaya Horse Rehabilitation Program or explore the Cibola National Forest.

Dinner: Try local craft beer and pub food at Marble Brewery or Boxing Bear Brewing Co.

Day 7: Exploring Sante Fe

Morning: Drive to Santa Fe (approximately 1.5 hours). Explore the Santa Fe Plaza, visit art galleries, and admire the adobe architecture.

Lunch: Savor New Mexican flavors at The Shed or Cafe Pasqual’s.

Afternoon: Explore Meow Wolf, an immersive art installation.

Dinner: Return to Albuquerque and dine at the innovative and upscale restaurant, Geronimo, in Santa Fe.

I truly believe if you want to experience New Mexico with a touch of Colorado across 7 days, this is the way to do it.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I am a huge believer that your support system is everything. There are a few people that come to mind.

1. My incredible partner, John, has been nothing but supportive of my career path. He has watched me go from absolute ground zero to everything I have built in just a short amount of time. I could not be more thankful for someone as loving, supportive, and positive as him.

2. My A1 homie, Kyle Papke, has been one of my best friends for a long time. We have seen one another grow professionally and are both doing some incredible things. You can find Kyle on Instagram at @keelpapke_.

3. My family. I’d also like to dedicate my current and future success to my family for constantly supporting me through anything.

4. A shoutout also goes to the incredible people and good friends I’ve met since moving to New Mexico. They’ve helped launch me into a whole new chapter of my career. 

5. Lastly, to all of the Pittsburgh homies, especially Jordan Lee, on Instagram as @fullcirclemedia_, who was there at the spark my career a couple of years ago, thank you. Thank you for showing and reminding me constantly to pursue this passion.

Website: www.thedancosta.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dkcostaa

Twitter: www.twitter.com/thedancosta

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dkcostaa/shorts

Image Credits
Daniel Costa