Nikki Brooks is a professional photographer, currently based in Santa Cruz, California.  She offers photography services for lifestyle, portraits, surfing and weddings, and has recently expanded into real estate. 

Having grown up in Santa Cruz, she formed a strong connection with the ocean early in life, a love that has truly nurtured and shaped her personal and professional journeys.

At a young age she was drawn to surfing, ocean swimming and lifeguarding, and went on to study marine biology.  Born into a family of multi-generational artists, it was clear that she had strong artistic skills as well, which she expressed naturally through photography and added to her formal studies.

Her photography career developed to weave these lifelong passions together, and has naturally tied in with her commitment to environmental protection and service in ocean education.   Her curiosities, skills and interests have led her to travel the world documenting some of the most inspiring people, their ocean adventures, service projects and accomplishments.  From shooting surf contests in the waves at Mavericks to documenting coastline restoration efforts abroad, her work has been featured on the cover of and throughout major publications, such as Popular Photography and National Geographic Adventure magazine and has earned her international recognition.

When she became a mother (to two now young-adult daughters who also share her passion for the ocean and art), her work expanded to help growing families capture the preciousness of each stage of life. She now has decades of experience in portrait photography as well, including pregnancies, newborn photos, families and weddings.

Whether she’s documenting the unique beauty of people, places or things, creativity and authenticity are always at the heart of Nikki’s work.