ID: Neha holding a camera and looking at the back of it while outside on the city street
ID: Neha holding a camera and smiling with a white and green shirt, jeans and a white backdrop
ID: Decorative orange hibiscus flower
Chicago Photographer
You deserve to Feel
Seen.
VD: Neha in front of a white wall wearing a denim jacket with half of her hair pulled back. She is signing the ASL translation of the corresponding text above the video.
ID: Three photo strip of Neha and her father layered with a decorative image of tropical green leaves and large orange text reading ജീവൻ — the Malayalam word for jeevan, which means 'life'.
Brought to you by my dad (& the pandemic...)
I'm Neha (she/her), by the way. Photography has always run deep in my blood. Before this, travel was my inspiration for photography. I loved taking photos of nature, sunsets, and whatever else I encountered while exploring the globe. Then the pandemic hit, and traveling suddenly wasn't an option anymore.
That's when my dad, my A1, my Day 1, suggested I go back to photography in a new way, so I did. My sister is an amazing model, and with her as my practice partner, I was shooting creative portraits of her every single day during lockdown.
And so, Jeevan Portraits was born. Jeevan (ജീവൻ, pronounced "jee-vin") means "life" in my dad's language, Malayalam. I wanted to dedicate this to him, because he's the reason it even started. Shoutout to you, Dad.
I was itching to do something that fulfilled my soul.
ID: layering of cutouts of Jeevan Portraits past clients showcasing diversity in ethnicity, race, disability, body size, etc
VD: Neha in front of a white wall, wearing a black shirt and signing the ASL translation to the accompanying text above the video
for people who are done being an afterthought.
Accessibility and inclusivity are major priorities here.
The main reason why I am a photographer is because I want to provide accessible experiences for the disabled community and bring underrepresented, marginalized communities into the spotlight. I know what it's like to feel like an afterthought, which is why I provide a highly accessible experience for my clients, regardless what disabilities you may or may not have. I want to provide the best, safest, and most affirming photoshoot experience for you, all while showcasing the iconic baddie that you are.
VD: Neha in front of a white wall wearing a denim jacket with half of her hair pulled back. She is signing the ASL translation of the corresponding text above the video.
ID: Neha standing outdoors with a peace sign, tongue out and smiling, and holding a camera
ID: 2 decorative tropical flowers in pink and white
How my deafness benefits you:
My dad found out I was Deaf when I was two. For years, I got by on gibberish and body language, watching for head nods to try to keep up with what was happening around me. In Indian culture, disability is often treated as taboo, something that limits your ability to contribute to society in a positive way. My parents refused to let that define me, but they were honest that I'd have to work two or three times harder than most people to be seen as capable. That shaped me into someone deeply independent, and it shaped my work, too.
Because I've always had to read a room without sound, I notice emotion and body language on a different level.
I can sense a moment before it happens and catch what someone's feeling just from their face, which means I end up capturing the small, overlooked moments that often turn into someone's favorite photo. That same lens made me resourceful early on. When I couldn't afford real lighting equipment, I noticed how natural light bounced off white doors and started angling them to shape the light myself. That kind of noticing came naturally because I've spent my whole life observing more closely with my eyes.
Being Deaf has also connected me to a community of disabled folks who've become some of my closest friends and collaborators. That connection means that when you show up to work with me, whatever your own experience with disability might be, you're working with someone who already understands what it feels like to want to be seen.
ID: Maternity photo of two individuals kissing on a subway, wearing stylish green outfits and hats, with one human holding the other's baby bump
Is this for you?
Click through to find out!
ID: Close up intimate black and white portrait of a human with no shirt on, crossing arms casually across body in a loving way
You want to feel seen.
You've spent enough time feeling overlooked, underrepresented, or like an afterthought. The world wasn't built for you and you know that better than anyone. You want photos where you actually recognize yourself, instead of seeing a watered-down version that shrinks to make others comfortable. It's time to be the full, real YOU!
ID: Graduate sitting on a ledge outside a school building wearing cap and fown and sashes. This human is wearing black rimmed glasses and has their tongue out while holding both hands up displaying middle fingers
You want to feel like yourself AND look fucking incredible.
Speaking of the real you, you're not choosing between authentic and beautiful here. You want and deserve both. The candid moment AND the serving-face moment. This is who you are, and for once, you're not adapting yourself to fit a mold that was never built for you in the first place.
ID: A couple standing outside in front of a blow-up float of a beaver. One has a bald head and a beard and is wearing a white suit. The other has long dark hair and stands in front of them with a light blue dress on holding a bouquet of flowers. They are looking at eachother and smiling.
You think you're awkward in front of a camera.
"I don't know what to do with my hands." "I've never had professional photos taken." "I'm not a model." "I'm going to need you to just tell me what to do."
Good. That's exactly what you're here for. Leave the posing to me. Real recognizes real.
ID: An intentionally blurred portrait of a human in a wheelchair facing sideways in front of a fountain wearing a white suit and glasses.
You need accessibility to be a core part of the experience.
Accessibility isn't a bonus feature tacked on at the end here. It's what makes this feel safe in the first place. This experience was built with accessibility in mind FIRST. You shouldn't have to spend your shoot explaining how to be accommodated. You should get to just show up and be the client.
ID: Studio portrait with red backdrop - the subject lays down posing with hands placed near their head. They are wearing a leopard print dress with a red belt and red nails, and sparkly red lips.
You want representation without being reduced to it.
Deaf. Disabled. BIPOC. Queer. Immigrant. Different. These things are part of your story. They don't have to be the only story being told about you. Here, you get to be all of it, AND still just be hot! 😉
Jack of all trades, master of...all. 😏 How would you like to work with me?
ID: Three individuals in colorful, fashionable outfits standing outside the city street
ID: Two individuals holding hands, spinning, and smiling outdoors in light blue outfits
Celebrations of Love:
Other Services:
VD: Neha in front of a white wall, wearing a black shirt and signing the ASL translation to the accompanying text above the video
ID: Two decorative orange hibiscus flowers
GIF Description: Neha wearing a yellow and green shirt and showing off her tooth gem with her tongue sticking out
Being you is iconic.
You deserve to see yourself in the frame, NOT watered down. I'm talkin' the REAL you.
With me, you don't need to know how to pose. You don't need to be a model. You just need to show up. I'll handle the rest, I'll make you feel taken care of, AND you'll end up with photographs that make you think, "holy shit, that's me."