ABOUT
Hi, I'm Nik Kleinberg—a three-time Emmy Award-winning video producer, director, photojournalist and writer with over 40 years of storytelling experience. My work has been guided by a humanist perspective, sparked in childhood by Edward Steichen's The Family of Man exhibit, which ignited a curiosity about global humanity that shaped everything I've done since.
After starting at Sports Illustrated and then serving as founding Director of Photography and Director of New Media at SI for Kids (winning numerous awards there), I spent 12 years at ESPN as founding Director of Photography for ESPN The Magazine, directing over 150 cover shoots before moving into documentary production and writing long-form pieces for ESPN.com. Some of these covers became iconic in sports and national culture, including the Ricky Williams and Mike Ditka "For Better or Worse" bride-and-groom shoot and the Michael Phelps Olympic cover, both of which won Cover of the Year awards. My conceptual approach and idea generation were driven by a desire to push the limits, leading me to seek out photographers who shared my vision for redefining what was possible in sports imagery. Today, the work of many of these photographers hangs in major museums and galleries. Our collaborations earned honors from the American Society of Magazine Editors (for Magazine of the Year), Communication Arts, American Photography, the Society of Publication Designers, and Graphis.
One of my proudest achievements is an Emmy-winning film about Barrow, Alaska's high school football team—a story of Arctic resilience that led to the donation of an AstroTurf field over frozen tundra by the Chukchi Sea and left a lasting impact in helping an Inupiat village struggling for survival. This reflects my approach to storytelling: exploring compelling narratives in unexpected places, away from the glare of stadium lights.
I've had memorable encounters along the way—like getting humbled by Michael Jordan in one-on-one, only to be invited by him to later document his first trip to Asia, visiting Japan, China, and Hong Kong; convincing Ricky Williams to wear a size 22 wedding dress with matching heels; and somehow surviving piloting a Caribbean Express flight with zero flying experience.
Available Work
Now based in San Diego, my archive of photographs remains available for exhibitions, sales, and licensing. These images, capturing moments of humanity, sport, culture and nature, continue to resonate and are well-suited for galleries, collectors, and editorial use. If you're interested in exhibiting or purchasing my photography, I'd love to hear from you at nikk55@yahoo.com.