Meet Kasey Nichols

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kasey Nichols a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kasey , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My parents have been the ones that I have looked up to for their positive outlook on life. As a deaf individual, they have helped put me in a position where I have been comfortable communicating with hearing individuals that do not use ASL. Breaking barriers was how I was raised and not letting my deafness get in the way in my goals to succeed.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
It all started with taking a few college photography classes then a camera kit for Christmas from my husband. As a hobbyist, I jumped in taking portraits of animals to sports and then I had my first gig with a Wedding! At the same time I had been in the medical field since I started working when I was 15. I had just completed Radiology School and entered in the position as a CT technologist in which I thought would be my career until I retired. I loved helping people and enjoyed my job. However, Covid changed things and gave me a different perspective in the working field.

We recently moved to Michigan to start a new chapter as a family but the excitement quickly turned to sadness and a rollercoaster of emotions. My husband was diagnosed with End Stage Kidney Disease and my job had become a full time Mom and Caregiver. An 8-5 job was not in the cards for me so that was when I decided to go all in on starting my photography business allowing myself the flexibility to tend to my family at the same time doing what I love to do in doing portraits for other families. From time to time, I would do discounts and special sessions for various reasons. One of them was a special back to back portrait sessions for all the first responders, police and firefighters in which it was showcased on the local news. I love collaborating with other local businesses as well.

I am the photographer that is open to other people’s vision as well as adding my artistic eye to it. I’m the one who is willing to jump in the waters to get that shot and make something unique out of it. I’m also the one that loves talking and trying to make things fun and enjoyable.

While I have been building new relationships here in Michigan, I have been working to set up a studio of my own where those wanting indoor portraits or during colder weather have the opportunity to continue family, newborn, etc sessions without having to wait for warmer weather.

I have enjoyed being a photographer and meeting other individuals and families and am so grateful for the opportunity to do what I love. I continue to look forward to building more relationships and getting creative to add to my brand.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Understanding what sets you apart from others in your field, communicating and being open with new people, and finding your artistic/creative side and show what you can do with it.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My husband has been one of the important individuals in my life. He has overcome more obstacles and faced many barriers in his lifetime because he is deaf. Worked for IBM and helped people all around the world who spoke different languages. He is now a real estate investor and unlike IBM and having an interpreter, he is now facing communication barriers in hiring contractors but he continues to break through and find a way. He helped me understand my identity as a deaf person who is able to hear some and speak. Helped me understand that if I have a passion for something, make it big and make it unique and people will come to you.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Kasey Kinney Photography

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