Photographer at heart. Engineer by trade.

Newport Beach, California

My name is Danny Leontieff. I am 23 years old and fresh out of college with a degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Riverside. Growing up, I always had an interest in capturing the world around me, but never sought to learn through classes or workshops. Instead, I took simple photos with my phone, never really thinking about framing or composition but solely trying to capture the moment I was in. At the same time, I’ve always felt a need for adventure inside me. I was always the kid who couldn’t sit still. The kid who walked a different route to school everyday to explore new places. The kid that went to China for a 3-day weekend and still managed to pass his midterm the same week.

It wasn’t until during my senior year of college, which happened to be during the COVID-19 Pandemic, where I was stuck at home, bored, and tired of wasting time playing video games. That’s when I made the decision to purchase my first drone, the DJI Mavic Mini.

At first, I looked at the drone as a toy, something to fly around the neighborhood with and pass the time. Then one day I decided to take my drone on a hike and see what kind of pictures I could capture with it. Blown away by the results, I started to look at the drone as a proper photography tool, using my engineering background to understand the drone’s mechanics and computer experience to master the art of photo editing. After that I was hooked. Many broken drones later, here I am, chasing adventure every minute I get, driven in the pursuit to capture the unknown, finding the hidden perspectives that can only be captured by air.

In recent times I’ve pushed to explore other mediums, purchasing my first camera in October 2020, and diving into the world of FPV Drones in March of 2021.

Today I find myself constantly trying to push the limits of my photography skills, learning new techniques and spending time developing my style. Every day I find myself growing as I take my gear to new places, collaborate with other artists, and spend endless hours in the editing room. I’m in the early stages of my artistic journey, and I can’t wait for what’s to come.

Let’s have a chat! I’m always happy to collaborate on projects.

hi@dannyleontieff.com
Instagram

Gear List:
DJI Air 2s
DJI FPV Combo
Canon EOS RP
Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L is USM Lens
Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
GoPro Hero 8 Black

Featured On:
@centrohistorico 414k Followers
@mexicocityofficial 104k Followers
@newportbeach 81.4k Followers
@allthingsorangecounty 65.7k Followers
@visitnewportbeach 55k Followers
@ocwanderlust 23.6k Followers