We recently had the chance to connect with Daniel Motta and have shared our conversation below.
Daniel, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is a normal day like for you right now?
My days are pretty hectic, but they’re filled with a balance of passion, responsibility, and hustle as a single dad and photographer. I start each morning getting my kiddo up and ready for school, making sure he’s set for the day. After dropping him off, I head out to one of my photography shoots, which could be anything from product photography, professional headshots, or capturing stunning architectural spaces around the DFW area. My schedule as a single dad means I typically book shoots in the mornings and early afternoons to be free for school pickup. After school, my son and I head to Combate Academy in Aubrey/Crossroads, where we both train Jiu Jitsu—a great way to bond and stay active. I’m also a local business owner there, so I often juggle some responsibilities at the gym while we’re training. It’s a full day, but blending family, photography, and my role in the Aubrey community keeps it exciting and rewarding!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi there, Voyage Dallas readers! I’m Daniel Motta, your friendly neighborhood photographer based in the heart of Dallas, running Daniel Motta Photography with a camera in one hand and a dad joke in the other. I’ve been snapping photos for over ten years, turning everything from corporate headshots to jaw-dropping architectural spaces and snazzy product shots into visual stories that pop. My Downtown Dallas studio is my home base, but I’m all over the DFW area—Fort Worth, Plano, you name it—helping brands and folks shine with images that are crisp, colorful, and ready for their close-up on websites, ads, or wherever they need to dazzle.
What makes my work special? Picture this: I’m part tech geek, part storyteller, with a dash of kid-dad energy. I bring fancy tricks like wireless tethering so clients can pick their favorite shots on the spot, and I’m a stickler for getting colors just right in post-production. But the real magic? I make photo shoots feel like a fun hangout, not a stiff ordeal—think less “say cheese” and more “let’s make some awesome memories.” Clients keep coming back because I’m all about turning their vision into photos that feel like them, with a side of laughter.
When I’m not behind the lens, I’m a single dad to my awesome kiddo in Aubrey, Texas, juggling school drop-offs and epic Jiu-Jitsu sessions at Combate Academy, where I’m also a co-owner. Teaching kids and adults the art of grappling is my cardio and my way of building community—one armbar and dad joke at a time. It’s a wild ride balancing photography and gym life, but it keeps me on my toes (and out of trouble!).
Right now, I’m pumped about diving deeper into editorial and branding gigs—think heartfelt shots for faith-based groups or slick e-commerce images that make products irresistible. If you’re in DFW and want photos that capture your vibe with a sprinkle of fun, let’s chat. I’m ready to make your story look as good as my kid’s post-Jiu-Jitsu victory dance!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world nudged me into a path, I was a dreamer with a guitar and a mixing board, chasing a life as a musician. I dove headfirst into college for audio engineering, obsessed with crafting soundscapes and capturing the perfect beat. Music was my everything—raw, creative, soul-stirring. But by my late twenties, I craved a change. I realized that if I could hear the world’s rhythm, I could also see its beauty. Photography became my new outlet—a way to channel that same creative fire but with a camera instead of a microphone. It let me tell stories through visuals, earn a living, and dodge the unpredictable life of a touring musician. Now, as a photographer, I’m still that kid who loves creating, just framing life’s moments instead of mixing tracks, and I’m loving every second of it!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has been my toughest teacher, showing me lessons that no amount of smooth sailing or wins could ever drill in. Growing up, I lost my mom to cancer when I was just 3, which flipped our world upside down. My dad, a rock-solid Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves, was incredible in uniform—leading with that unbreakable discipline and grit. But civilian life? It was like trying to march in quicksand. I believe he battled depression, always searching for ways to shake it off, but he never quite could. He missed my mom terribly, and that grief cast a long shadow. We moved around a ton, chasing stability, and while he poured everything he had into being the best dad possible, life had a way of dragging us down with its curveballs.
As a kid, I didn’t fully get it—I was just along for the ride, thinking that’s how families rolled. But looking back as a grown-up (and now a single dad myself), I see how those hard times forged something unbreakable in me. Suffering taught me empathy on a bone-deep level: understanding that everyone’s carrying invisible weights, whether it’s loss, mental health struggles, or just the daily grind. Success? It might pat you on the back and say, “Great job, keep winning!” But it doesn’t whisper the real truth—that failing well is a requirement for true success. My dad’s story is the perfect example: He “failed” at shaking off his grief in the way society expects—quickly, quietly, without ripples. Yet, in that struggle, he succeeded in showing up for me every day, teaching me resilience through his quiet perseverance. He modeled that it’s not about avoiding the falls; it’s about getting up, dusting off, and turning those stumbles into steps forward.
For me, that lesson turned my own “failures”—like ditching my musician dreams in my late twenties for photography to provide stability for my son—into launchpads. Suffering stripped away the illusion that life’s a straight line to triumph; instead, it revealed that the detours, the heartaches, and yes, the epic flops are what build the muscle for real wins. Now, whether I’m framing a perfect shot or coaching kids at Combate Academy, I approach it all with a grin, knowing that every tough moment is just prepping me for the next victory.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
There are a few truths so woven into the fabric of my life as Daniel Motta that I rarely stop to spell them out—they’re like the air I breathe, steady and ever-present. First, my faith in God’s word, the Bible, is my North Star. It’s not just a book to me; it’s the lens through which I see purpose, love, and resilience, guiding every choice I make as a dad, photographer, and business owner. It’s why I pour my heart into capturing moments that matter—because I believe life’s beauty reflects something divine.
Another truth is that family comes first, no matter how crazy life gets. As a single dad, my son is my why—every early morning school drop-off, every Jiu-Jitsu class we sweat through together at Combate Academy in Aubrey, every goofy dad joke I toss his way—it’s all about building a life where he knows he’s loved and grounded. I don’t often say it out loud, but every photo I take, every class I coach, is for him.
And then there’s the belief that creativity is a gift meant to be shared. Whether I’m framing a perfect headshot, capturing the soul of a building, or helping a brand shine through product shots, photography is my way of turning fleeting moments into lasting stories. It’s not just a job; it’s how I connect with people, from Dallas execs to faith-based organizations, and make their world a little brighter. I learned this chasing music dreams in my twenties—creativity isn’t about fame; it’s about impact.
Finally, I live by the idea that failing well is the secret sauce to success. Life’s thrown punches—losing my mom young, watching my dad wrestle with grief, pivoting from music to photography to provide for my kid—but those stumbles taught me to get up stronger, like a good Jiu-Jitsu roll. I rarely say it, but I know deep down that every misstep is just setting me up for the next win, whether it’s nailing a shoot or teaching a kid at the gym to keep going. These truths? They’re my foundation, quietly driving everything I do.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
Those moments when the world slows down and everything just clicks? That’s when I’m curled up with the Bible, sitting in church, or playing with my son, Leo. Diving into Scripture—whether it’s a Psalm or one of Jesus’ parables, like the lost sheep—feels like a warm hug from above, grounding me in faith and purpose no matter how hectic life gets as a single dad and photographer. Church is my other sanctuary; there’s nothing like being surrounded by community, singing, praying, and feeling that hope wash over me (like I did after my baptism last month). But the absolute best is goofing off with Leo—whether we’re running around, counting numbers (his obsession!), or just laughing like lunatics. His joy is my ultimate reset button. Those times—reading God’s word, worshiping, or chasing my kid—make the hustle of running Daniel Motta Photography feel like a walk in the park.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.danielmottaphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DanielMottaPhotography/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/daniel-motta-photography-inc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanielMottaPhotography
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/daniel-motta-photography-dallas
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9OPp1txfYc
