The first results of an observational programme aimed at mapping a sample of face-on spiral galaxies in the NIR are presented. This paper shows the surface photometry of the first ten galaxies in the sample. The data were taken in the broad band J (1.2 mu m) and Ks (2.2 mu m) filters. The sources were selected mainly according to their size and brightness in order to suit the characteristics of the CAIN 2D NIR camera on the 1.5-m Carlos Sánchez Telescope (Tenerife, Spain). The primary scientific goal is to provide a comprehensive and uniform database of the main structural and photometric parameters of the sample members from NIR surface photometry. To this end, elliptical isophotal fitting was performed on each galaxy image to extract information about the size and location of its morphological components and provide the azimuthally averaged radial brightness profile. Analytical functions for each component's brightness distribution were then used to match that profile, and their functional parameters obtained from the global fitting. This first report includes data for NGC 3344, NGC 3686, NGC 3938, NGC 3953, NGC 4254, NGC 4303, NGC 4314, NGC 5248, NGC 6384 and NGC 7479.