Owner of Danja Barber Photography
28 Years Old • Fort Collins
Tell us about yourself, your history and how you came to be where you are now.
I was born and raised in Northern Colorado and fell in love with photography as a little girl. I have always romanticized life—loving really big and laughing really hard—and I think that’s a huge part of why I want to know people’s stories and help tell them. I wouldn’t be where I am without God giving me these amazing opportunities. I lead my life and business with my faith and my heart, and I believe my business really took off once I realized it is all in God’s will.
Explain your career, achievements and professional highlights.
I’m a Western lifestyle and portrait photographer born and raised in Northern Colorado. I’ve been a photographer full time for more than 13 years, but my love for it began in childhood. By high school, I knew this was my calling: I graduated early, worked multiple jobs to invest in my gear and dove headfirst into building my business. Since then, I have gotten to travel all over the country photographing families, commercial projects, weddings and everything in between. I’m also a photography mentor and have put on five photography retreats.
In what ways do you give back to the community?
I try to raise money for people in the community a few times a year by offering raffles for free sessions. My incredible clientele and friends have raised thousands of dollars by entering these giveaways.
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment or challenge you’ve overcome, either professionally or personally?
God lined up an opportunity for me to purchase a rental property in Eaton. It has always been a dream of mine to own rental properties, so when I was able to get a property out east with two homes on it, I jumped at it. It took a lot of elbow grease to bring those two homes back to life, but I’m grateful my photography allowed me to invest in another income stream.
Tell us something unique about you.
My mom is from Finland, so I’m half Finnish. I think it has given me a bigger perspective of this world to know that a different culture was part of my upbringing.
Where do you see yourself in five years? In 10 years?
I hope to have started a family in five years and live on some land out east. Within five to 10 years, I would love to see a photography space I’ve been slowly curating in my brain for years now come to fruition, as I want to offer a new and unique space for other photographers to use. I’m also excited to see some of my education retreats reach new heights.
What piece(s) of advice would you give to your younger self?
Walk boldly in your God-given worth. Lead with His heart. Pour into those who honor your calling, and you don’t need to overextend to anyone who takes advantage of you. You were never meant to shrink for anyone.
How did you develop your Western style?
The people who run ranches and farms are the backbone of this country, and I’m blessed to call many of them friends and family. I fell in love with this way of life and the deeply rooted culture just from being around it. Through warm, earthy and vibrant tones, I’ve curated my editing style to reflect it in a way that feels raw and real. All of the natural colors and scenes God has created are the inspiration for my editing: the abandoned homesteads out in the prairie grass that showcase such grit from the past, the way blue hour hits before the sun comes up and the cotton candy skies that follow in the evening paint a picture worth capturing.
Tell us about your photography retreats and mentorships.
I am a big believer that pursuing photography as a career is one of the most rewarding and important jobs in the world. I offer different mentorship packages, from calls to one-on-one days where we create a business plan, have the styled session of your dreams and go over all things editing. My retreats span a few days with a small group of people and cover different aspects of the business, with styled sets and personalized deep dives. It’s the most rewarding thing in the world to watch people have “aha” moments, level up their business and experience creative breakthroughs. My biggest motto is “community over competition,” and I want to see everyone succeed.
Local business shoutout:
F.A.B. Shop is a family-owned and -operated welding and fabrication shop in Northern Colorado where quality craftsmanship and client satisfaction come first. Every project is handled with care, precision and a commitment to going above and beyond. My boyfriend and brother are the owners of F.A.B. Shop, and I’m so proud of them and their amazing employees for pouring 200 percent into every welding project. Blue collar workers keep our world turning. I’m proud of this small business for being part of it.
