Raised in Los Angeles County, California, to a blue-collar family, Daniel is a first-generation Mexican-American and a 200,000th-generation human being.

He developed a passion for cinematography while studying fine arts, including painting, sculpture, and video art. He earned a B.A. in Cinema and a B.A. in Studio Art from San Francisco State University, and later a master's degree in Cinematography from the American Film Institute. Daniel's creative process for visual communication focuses on the substratum and philosophy of a project. His strengths lie in naturalist lighting, evocative camera movement, and arresting compositions rich in subtext. Utilizing emerging trends and technologies to inform his work. His curiosity and commitment to his craft have allowed him to continue to evolve and produce stirring visual work.