This is a series of blog posts dedicated to great photographers that are also contributing on Lobster. Read about the brilliant minds behind the camera, how photography mingles with their life and the stories behind their best shots.

Who is  Daniel Zapata?

When I was 18 years old, I was trying to decide what to do with my life, and graphic design seemed to be a good option to make a professional career. I studied for five years, and after that, I got my first important job at a local tv station as a post producer.
I spent six years of my life working there, and it was enjoyable in the beginning, but later I realised that it wasn’t what I wanted. I felt so empty because I was doing a job I didn’t like and I decided to seek something that made feel fulfilled.

Photography was always an important part of my life; it was like love at first sight. One day when I was 30, while I was surfing, I realised how much I love the ocean and photography. I also thought that I could combine those two passions and immediately I bought my gear and jumped into the sea.
Being under the water and trying to take the best shot of waves and friends while they surfed felt a combination of the experiences I desired. Now I can tell that this decision saved my soul and very soon I started to explore other fields of photography: architecture, people, portraits, landscapes, etc.

Now I continue to pursue my dream: to live of photography, no matter how long it will take. I need to try to die as a happy man.

The stories behind the best photos

1. Moon

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Who doesn’t like to stare at the moon? I consider myself as a moon lover. That is the reason I tried to capture the best angle of the queen of our nights.

2. Sunset

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Every single sunset is different, but there’s only a few you will remember for the rest of your life. Sometimes I feel like the Little Prince on his asteroid B612.

3. NYC

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Some people say NYC is the real concrete jungle – and they are right. But I also think it is the city of dreams. Let this image inspire you.

4. Nature

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Nature always finds a way to make you feel overwhelmed.

5. Happiness

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Just in case you forgot how happiness feels, take a look at this picture.

6. Adventure

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The most fulfill and worthwhile adventures are those that are challenging. Explore the world.

Favourite food for thought

Conquest and success are only for those who follow their hearts. Choose love instead of fear, and you will find the meaning of your life.

To celebrate Daniel’s photo story, we’ve created a unique collection of his work – Take a look.

Other featured photographers in the series:

Ray, the visual storyteller, Reinier and his love for the travel, Lukas around the globe, Krisztian’s fashion photography, Victor and his passion for drone photography, Thanh and his love for the countryside, Enrico, diversity explorer,  Kristiana Pandere, the manipulation master,  Loic Lagarde is shooting at the crossroad of art and technique,  Jonas Anhede emotional and storytelling images, Igor, the Northen lights hunter, Sunny’s travel adventures and the Instagram Bucketlist Journey star Annette White

To find thousands of gorgeous photos which all tell their own unique story, try searching Lobster for #passionpassport and #travel