Nikki Daskalakis Photographer

The girls who get it, get it, and Nikki Daskalakis just gets it. Words could never do her justice, she is a singular force in the lives of those who know and love her. She is empowering, emboldening, radically empathetic, and for me, an unequivocally fearless leader in a storm. She embodies what it means to be a champion of women and of course there is the obvious, that she is an unparalleled, fucking fantastic photographer. She is Nikki.
It is truly impossible to describe what Nikki was able to create on my wedding day or who she has become to me since then, but I will try.
When looking for a photographer I wanted someone who could deliver timeless, elevated, candid photos that allowed us to just enjoy the moment. There is a level of trust required when you choose to largely abstain from staged wedding photos. Will they capture us in a way that holds meaning for me, will they be able to capture the small moments I will forever cherish? One can only imagine the kind of human she was as a social worker as her ability to read the room is done with seemingly innate precision, she is constantly scanning, one finger on the emotional pulse, capturing your most sacred and intimate moments that others simply could never find. She is the woman behind the lens repeating "slay" to you over and over, so much so that you forget all the bad things you told yourself in the mirror and you believe her when she says you're perfect. She is the woman who remembers to take the photos of your best friends, one pregnant in a nightgown, another helping you put your necklace on, another standing in the corner watching it all unfold, the day you've all talked about since you were little girls. She is the woman who captures your mother, holding your wedding gown tight, eyes closed, when she thinks no one is watching and your parents, holding hands, beaming with pride, as you recite your vows. She is the woman who is honored to bear witness to your life's most precious, nuanced moments and transforms them into art. She is Nikki.

If you examine her work you will find the insane range she possesses, and how individual her look is. It is often I see a hotel or event and think, this is Nikki's work, before seeing her credited, because her style is uniquely hers. She is impossibly chic with a keen eye for fashion. She seamlessly delivers photos that are equal parts editorial and emotional, she herself unknowingly describes her work best, "the feeling is the point". What she delivers is timeless, sleek, sophisticated. She has no time for anything resembling the word basic. Her work on film is nothing short of genius, she flawlessly captures the movement, the tone and the emotion of a room taken in a split second, a fleeting moment in time. In action she is a beast, Prada fanny pack hanging from her shoulder, three cameras slung around her neck, not a singular ounce of stress present. She is so stealth, by the time you hear the rapid fire clicks and turn to face her she shrugs, coyly smiles and is off. In an instant, you realize she already has the shot, because of course she does.

It was like rain on our wedding day, but who would have thought I booked the best for the job.