From the Arena to the Aisle: How We Built Cardenas Captures

We’re Dakota and Jadrian,

the husband and wife team behind Cardenas Captures. Our story isn’t the usual “I picked up a camera and immediately succeeded” kind of story. It’s a story about failing, learning, and turning passion into a career, and we hope it inspires anyone who’s been told they’re not good enough.

Fast forward to 2022. My stepbrother handed me his old Canon T7 camera just to “mess around” with. I brought it to the barn to take some photos of Jadrian and her horse, Sloan. That simple, unplanned shoot started something big. Friends started asking for photos of themselves and their horses, and the word spread quickly. It was the moment we realized photography wasn’t just a hobby, it could be our future.

The name Cardenas Captures was born when Jadrian encouraged me to share those fun equine photos on Facebook. We spent about a year shooting for free, just building a portfolio, learning, and having fun. During that time, Jadrian picked up a camera for the first time ever. Teaching her the ropes.. how to understand settings, find angles, and tell stories through images. It quickly became one of the most rewarding parts of our journey.

That old D in high school photography? It doesn’t define the future. If anything, it reminds us that failing isn’t the end. It’s part of the process, and I was able to teach Jadrian everything I know. And that’s exactly what we tell the kids when we go back to our old high school classroom each year for Career Day. We share our story of falling, getting up, and chasing the dream anyway.. because passion and persistence can out do natural talent every time.

Then came the big break: The Professional Championship Bullriders rodeo was coming to town. We reached out, hoping for a chance to shoot the event. It turns out the owner used to rodeo with grandpa Cardenas.. a full-circle moment. He welcomed us in, and that opened the door to a world we love deeply. We worked with PCB for a long time, growing alongside the sport and building our reputation.

In 2024, I earned my PRCA photographer’s card .. something I used to dream about when we were sitting in the stands, just hoping to be on the other side of the chute one day. That card isn’t just a credential; it’s proof that all the time spent learning, failing, and chasing the moment was worth it. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to work for the PRCA, and we've been fortunate to shoot with Bull Stock Media at select PBR events, including the 2024 PBR World Finals which still feels surreal every time we see one of our images in the social media posts

One of the proudest moments? Landing a cover photo for PRCA’s ProRodeo Sports News magazine, something we never imagined when this journey started in a cold Wisconsin field. And the best part? Jadrian’s now chasing her own PRCA card. Watching her hustle and grow with her camera in hand is one of the most rewarding parts of this whole deal. We’re building this together, picture by picture.

There are still moments where we look at each other and say, “Can you believe this is our life?” We’ve gone from doing free equine sessions with borrowed or rented gear to standing in the dirt at sold-out arenas, capturing athletes we grew up watching. We’ve documented wedding days filled with emotion and laughter. Every time we pick up our cameras, it feels like a thank-you..to the people who believed in us, to the ones who gave us a shot, and to our younger selves who had no idea this was possible.

If you’re a young creative who’s struggling, feeling like you’re failing, or unsure if your passion can become a career .. we want you to know this: failure doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It means you’re learning. Keep pushing. Your story isn’t over.