Higher Altitude Photography

Higher Altitude Photography β΄΅ just a cowpoke capturing fleeting memories
𓃒 π’‡π’‚π’Žπ’Šπ’π’š, 𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒐, 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 + π’†π’—π’†π’“π’šπ’•π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’Šπ’ π’ƒπ’†π’•π’˜π’†π’†π’
Ρ¦Ρ§ swco & beyond

surprise!!!!im starting this year off right with a BANG!I haven't done a giveaway in almost TWO years, and since my last...
01/15/2026

surprise!!!!
im starting this year off right with a BANG!
I haven't done a giveaway in almost TWO years, and since my last few have been such a hit, I thought id take it up a notch and raise the stakes (and prizes) just a bit πŸ˜…
ive decided to team up with some AMAZING female owned businesses to do the BEST valentines giveaway for not just one lucky person, but TWO!
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what you'll win?
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FIRST PLACE WILL RECIEVE
Hair & Makeup service done by .tay.83 at VIP Salon and Spa
A One Hour photoshoot with
A 9 Inch Choco/Fresaflan from
A Sterling Bracelet Valued at $70 / A Gold Filled Bracelet Valued at $85 from
AND
A Set of Handmade Sterling Silver Pink Conch Heart earrings made by
SECOND PLACE
will get a 30 minute session with me 🀍
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how do I enter?
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βœ” Follow ALL the businesses above
βœ” Like the giveaway post
βœ” Tag a friend or seven πŸ˜…

Bonus: Share to your story and tag ME!!!!
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winner will be chosen on VALENTINES DAY 2026! (2/14/26)
happy valentine's day and happy tagging 🀍
*winners beyond travel radius will be subjected to travel fee*
giveaway is open to both Facebook and Instagram

DM to book now 🀍 taking limited spots ;)
01/04/2026

DM to book now 🀍 taking limited spots ;)

2025, I guess I never really was ready to say goodbye to you, because you taught me more than I think I even realized. I...
01/01/2026

2025, I guess I never really was ready to say goodbye to you, because you taught me more than I think I even realized. It was the weirdest year of my life, especially when it came to my career and my entire ideology of life. some, not many, knew about the super major surgery I had at the beginning of the year, something I’ll go more in depth about one day, but it changed my life in ways I don’t think I’ll ever fully comprehend. more than anything, it had to happen so my quality of life could finally be comfortable, something I hadn’t truly had since I was nine years old. at 22, being faced with what I was, I had to choose myself before anything else. that surgery put a hard stop on my early-season rodeo plans and ended my season before it even had the chance to begin.
mentally, it took a toll on me, so much so that I planned to walk away from rodeo entirely once I fulfilled my contracts with Sober Cowboy: 8 Seconds for Addiction and the Rifle Rendezvous. I was incredibly blessed to even be able to put myself in the dirt just three weeks after surgery to shoot those events, and in many ways, they felt like a last hoorah to this chapter i loved.
in july, once i was finally healed, I took a chance that honestly gave me my confidence back and reminded me I still had what it took to do this job. making the trek down to wisconsin and minnesota to shoot the Rice Rodeo Company stops in eau claire, elk river, and galesville changed everything for me. I 100 percent believe with my whole heart that if those opportunities hadn’t been given to me, I would’ve hung the camera up for good. Dave Rice and Christina Rice , i think i owe you more than i can put into words. your grace, your trust, and your events gave me the chance to prove to myself what I was still capable of and saved a piece of me i didn’t even realize i was losing entirely. i will never be able to repay you guys for saving that. and miss Kelsey Crowder with Rawhide Rodeo Company, thank you for welcoming me to leadville once i was back home and allowing me to shoot one last full rodeo for the year. it meant more to me than you know 🀍
(continued in comments)

allow me to introduce myself after almost SIX years of doing this thing called Higher Altitude Photography fulltime ✨️I’...
11/16/2025

allow me to introduce myself after almost SIX years of doing this thing called Higher Altitude Photography fulltime ✨️

I’m Danae Lucero!
the owner, creator, and photographer behind the photos you've been seeing on this page. I was born and raised in the San Luis Valley, rooted deep in southwestern Colorado right along the New Mexico border. my family are 3rd generation farmers and small ranchers, and I guess you could say I’m the 1st generation rodeo kid. both in competing and in capturing it.

i've always been a lover of art and the western way of living, whether that’s laying in the dirt at a rodeo or photographing love that’s honest, imperfect, and real. I chase sureness and raw emotion with my families and couples, and I lean into the grit and storytelling inside rodeo. I want people to feel something when I photograph them. I want people to remember that life is fragile, moments are fleeting, and every photo becomes a little piece of time you never get back.

a moment held still, even for just a breath.

capturing people, comforting them, and communicating with them will always be the heartbeat and soul of my work. whether I show up as my unfiltered, goofy, dirt-covered self or step into full professionalism when the moment calls for it, my intention is always the same; make you feel true, confident, comfortable, and authentically you.

whether you’re here in the San Luis Valley where I was born and my roots run deep, or all the way on the coasts of California or Maine, my books are open, and I’d love to share my camera, my eye, and my storytelling with you.

memento mori, my friends.

lets capture the time we have left. πŸ€πŸ–€

my sweet Nuvia πŸ₯ΉπŸ€-i swear, most of my friends have been blessing me lately with the chance to capture the most beautiful...
11/04/2025

my sweet Nuvia πŸ₯ΉπŸ€
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i swear, most of my friends have been blessing me lately with the chance to capture the most beautiful chapters of their lives. whether it be them finding true love, getting married, and now, being able to capture the greatest gift of all… starting a family 🀍

Nuvia and Johnny will always be two of my favorite people to photograph. they’re straight up model material and always trust my little creative mind to come up with ART. which makes my job feel anything but like work. every time I get to document a new part of their story, it feels like I’m apart of the family πŸ₯Ή

i am so beyond thankful to watch Nuvia step into this next chapter alongside her fiancΓ©, Johnny. these two have something so special that sometimes, only movies can convey. but this time, its reality 🀍πŸ₯Ή

2025 has been a whirlwind of emotions, but it’s finally time to slow down and soak in the holiday spirit πŸŽ„βœ¨snowfall or s...
11/03/2025

2025 has been a whirlwind of emotions, but it’s finally time to slow down and soak in the holiday spirit πŸŽ„βœ¨
snowfall or shine, Christmas Minis are here! 🀍
I’m opening limited weekend slots this year so grab the family, bundle up, and let’s capture some cozy, joy filled memories outdoors! β„οΈπŸ€
dont wait til the last minute to message me either, because once my slots are filled, they are FILLED!

another fundraiser in the books for miss Taylor Valdez 🀍 these photos might be a week late (courtesy of busy season kick...
10/27/2025

another fundraiser in the books for miss Taylor Valdez 🀍 these photos might be a week late (courtesy of busy season kicking my rear end πŸ˜…), but I know they’ll mean something extra special to her after the trials and tribulations Taylor has been facing. this is one of the hardest roads imaginable, but seeing the rodeo community rally behind her the way they have reminds me why this lifestyle and community is so special.

watching everyone come together, raising money while bulls bucked and horses ran, you could just feel the love and strength inside the arena.

huge shoutout to Burris and Sons Bucking Bulls and Tish Mortensen for once again going above and beyond to make this happen and lighten the load for the Valdez family. y’all brought the San Luis Valley a day full of grit, grace, and some dang good rodeo action πŸ‚πŸŽπŸ€

Link to the Twisting Barrels and Bulls for Taylor Valdez album below. all photos are FREE to download and use at disposal. and yes. I said FREE.
tips are always welcome, but definitely not required 🀍
https://higheraltitudephotography.passgallery.com/N12hBGtc3EupI

i told yall i was gonna throw it back just a little to last year, and the one i want to throw it back to is one if my ab...
10/21/2025

i told yall i was gonna throw it back just a little to last year, and the one i want to throw it back to is one if my absolute FAVORITE seniors I had the honor of photographing not once, not twice, but three different times 🫢🏻

Miss Danee was truly a dream to work with. her natural beauty and sweet self shined through in every single photo, and i don’t think I could ever pick a favorite photo even if I tried. each of her three sessions had their own unique vibe and story, which is exactly why I always tell my clients if we don’t capture something the first time, we can always make it happen the next πŸ˜…!

to Danee, her momma and sister, you three were such a joy to work with! thank you for making the trips down from Pueblo for those first two sessions, and I’m so glad I was able to return the favor and come to you for her cap and gown photos 🫢🏻

and now… Miss Danee is off chasing dreams and studying in Arizona! i am so proud of you, miss girl 🀍!

oh, my sweet Chanel πŸ₯Ή one of my dearest friends from high school trusted me to capture such a tender, beautiful season i...
10/20/2025

oh, my sweet Chanel πŸ₯Ή one of my dearest friends from high school trusted me to capture such a tender, beautiful season in her life, and I don’t think my heart’s ever felt so full.
watching her step into motherhood with such grace, beauty, and being able to blend a family built on love, patience, and devotion, has been nothing short of inspiring. the way her stepkids absolutely adore her, the way she lights up around them, and now the joy of carrying a little one with their dad, it truly is a love story written in the purest form.
to be a small part of this chapter, to freeze these moments in time for her, meant more to me than I can ever put into words. 🀍

congratulations, Nelly 🀍 I can't wait to see what this chapter is like for you.

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