A Rebrand…Well, Sort of…

Change is scary, but sometimes very necessary. For the past two or three years, I have been severely underestimating my services, downplaying the experiences and the work I put into my business. It was time for a snap back into reality and getting out of my head. Imposter syndrome was my biggest criticism, and I had to do a lot of work to stop that thinking. It’s still there but not as much – taking a leap with business is scary, but I would never know what good it will bring if I didn’t at least try. I decided to realign my business back to its core values: representation, accessibility, quality, and transparency. 

One of my main goals when I first set up Jeevan Portraits (six years ago, can you believe it?) was noticing the lack of representation of Deaf+, BIPOC people in various forms of media, which was so jarring. Especially for fashion, disabled people are still not being represented on that level yet. During the pandemic, I would see so many more hearing photographers, and I often wondered, where are the deaf photographers? I looked and connected with many amazing deaf photographers, building a supportive network right out of my community. Making our own representation because no one outside of our community could.

That was what Jeevan Portraits stood for, all those years ago. I used to host styled shoots for deaf photographers that allowed others to build their own connections, helping those who have so much to share but are not seen or heard and providing accessible photoshoots to my community. Although I am still doing that, I feel like somewhere along the way, I got lost, especially trying to keep up with social media. I became so overwhelmed and withdrew myself a lot more. Only posting when I could capably present myself online. But, I knew this wasn’t sustainable for my business or for me. Something needed to change. 

To answer this question, I have to take you through the whole story. Instagram is my main place where I advertise myself, connect with others, and follow other wedding photographers. One wedding photographer that I look up to, McKenzie (@mckenzie_bigliazzi), is one of the coolest people I know. I have been following her for at least 5 years, and I love everything she posts and especially how unapologetically McKenzie she is. Her personal branding is truly something that made her stand out. I saw that she partnered up with Kelsey, web designer of Launch Your Daydream (@launchyourdaydream). I looked into their joint services and how they provided mentorship and website design. I was hesitant at first because it was my first real investment in taking my business to the next level, and personally, I was so scared of not feeling heard or seen. Recently, I had a few consultations for branding and mentorship that made me feel like being myself didn’t belong in the wedding industry. But my Chicago photographer friend, Tawny (@tawnyballardphotography) encouraged me to do it based on her experience working with Kelsey, emphasizing her ability to quote and complete quick timelines. After hearing such a glowing review, I knew I had to take a chance on myself and the business I’ve built for years. 

The process was split into two parts and pretty intense! Kelsey and Kenzie sent a video about reframing the concept of what branding means. They also sent an extensive and thought-provoking questionnaire, making me reflect on my business in ways that I had never done before. For the first part, McKenzie provided the mentorship, which was so worth it. I felt like I haven’t shared the ins and outs of my business because I truly didn’t think anyone would give me any constructive criticism, and as a Capricorn, I thrive on that. However, McKenzie is blunt and isn’t afraid to tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. She worked with me on her concept of “rebrand but not a rebrand.” She told me that I have a unique perspective and to lean into it. One of the things she said that really sticks out to me was “It’s like you’re scared to show who you are online. But how do you expect clients to open up with you if you don’t share who you are with them first.” I was shocked. I realized I wasn’t sharing what my business stood for through my social media. My values, my beliefs, I wasn’t sharing anything! How do my clients know who they are booking with then? From there, we finalized the brand and went onto the next part of the service. 

I had expressed to Kelsey how accessibility is a huge part, if not the main point, of my business. While she didn’t know about this topic as much, she was so open to learning and being vulnerable with what she didn’t know, and I very much appreciated that. The Deaf+ community wholeheartedly supported me for years, so I want to make sure my community sees themselves in my website, especially if I’m preaching about providing accessible experiences for my clients. It has to start with the space that I am creating for my people. That’s why the website includes GIFs in American Sign Language (ASL), and there is a DeafBlind & ASL friendly mode so that my community can have an accessible experience from the very start and not feel like an afterthought. The photos all have Alt text which is accessible for Blind folxs. I wanted to show that this is FOR them. I recruited some of my community by hiring Chaz Joseph for support with my ASL (since it is not my first language even though I was born deaf) and also hiring two amazing DeafBlind consultants, Loni Friedmann and Dr. Victorica Monroe, who reviewed my website ensuring that it is accessible for the DeafBlind folxs as well. One thing about me is I am going to put my people first, and that means including people in the process too. Together, we created a space that reflects exactly what Jeevan Portraits is – marginalized, overlooked people coming together and creating art that feels safe and accessible.