When the warnings flashed across her computer screen — update required, system no longer supported — Deitra Jackson knew her photography career was running on borrowed time.

Her trusted laptop and camera had carried her for more than a decade, but the technology that once fueled her passion was now holding her back.

“I always believed I was a great photographer,” Jackson said. “I just needed equipment that made my work look even better.”

Jackson, owner of Deitra L. Jackson Photography LLC, specializes in mobile headshot, branding, and portrait photography along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Her business is built on flexibility — meeting clients in offices, homes, and at events — without the overhead of a studio. That model, however, requires reliable, cutting-edge gear.

Raised in Washington, D.C., Jackson’s love for photography began as a child, snapping Polaroids her father handed her at family celebrations and parades. In college, she bought her first Nikon and took photography courses. For years, it remained a side pursuit as she worked in administrative support roles and raised her children. Even then, she captured life in the capital, photographing protests and community events for local publications.

A turning point came after 9/11, when the haunting still images of the tragedy left a deep impression. “What impacted me most wasn’t the video, but the photographs — the frozen expressions of people,” she recalled. “I thought, if I can capture emotion that strongly on the positive side, that’s what I want to do.”

By 2017, she had retired from administrative work, earned a master’s in cybersecurity, and eventually relocated to Gulfport in 2020 to help care for her grandchildren during COVID-19. The move gave her the chance to plant roots and focus fully on photography. Two years later, she formed her LLC and began carving out her niche in headshots and branding portraits.

As an active member and ambassador of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Jackson built her reputation through networking events, ribbon cuttings, and referrals. She now has more than 35 five-star Google reviews and a portfolio of over 50 professional headshots. Still, her aging equipment threatened to stall her momentum.

That’s when she connected with Flint Brent of the Mississippi Small Business Development Center, who encouraged her to apply for a small business loan through Communities Unlimited (CU). Jackson worked with CU Economic Development Loan Officer Chris Tillman.

To her relief, the loan was approved. With it, she will replace her outdated laptop and camera with a new MacBook, iPad, and mirrorless camera — tools that will sharpen her images, streamline editing, and keep her competitive in a fast-moving industry.

“This loan will take me light years ahead,” Jackson said. “At the very least, I can finally keep my software updated. A mirrorless camera will give me sharper images, more pixels, and clarity. It keeps me competitive with other photographers in the area who are producing amazing work.”

Her ambitions now extend beyond individual clients. With the new equipment, she plans to expand into company and team headshots, producing 30 or more consistent, retouched portraits in just a few hours. “That helps companies keep their websites and branding up to date,” she said.

For Jackson, the loan process itself was as affirming as the equipment it funded. She praised both Brent and Tillman for their attentiveness.