Barry Braunstein Photography

Barry Braunstein Photography Headshot and portrait photography that amplify's your business and personal brand First impressions are important.

I've been in love with photography ever since elementary school when I picked up my dad's Kodak Retina IIa camera. I find great joy in the process of creating and capturing memorable moments and drawing viewers into my photographs through storytelling. So, after a career in high tech sales and marketing, I decided to pursue my passion for photography, utilizing all that I've learned about working

with people, establishing relationships and trust, and telling stories that leave an impression. I work with my clients to create great photographs that deliver the look and message they want to communicate. As the subject of a portrait, a person's expression, body language, and "look" are all factors that affect how people react to an image. I work with each client to find authentic looks and gestures that will resonate with viewers and convey the appropriate message and emotion for that client's intended use of the photo. For example, headshots for a client whose company has a social or environmental focus will look very different from those for a client whose company sells military gear, and both will likely be driven by a different overall aesthetic than headshots for an aspiring artist.

I recently had the pleasure and honor of working with Shevchik, who is in the process of transitioning to being a civil...
06/03/2026

I recently had the pleasure and honor of working with Shevchik, who is in the process of transitioning to being a civilian and came to my studio via the for Patriots program – PfP is a non-profit nationwide organization of volunteer headshot photographers providing complementary headshots to transitioning military service members, their spouses and Gold Star families. Founded in 2019, we have provided well over $2M in portfolio images to our American patriots.

After graduating West Point with an Bachelors in Engineering degree, Joseph became a physician, serving with Army as an attending Physician, Medical Director, and most recently as a clinical research physician studying how people react to environmental extremes.

His LinkedIn profile says: “I am passionate about bridging science, performance, and prevention to help people live better, longer, and with purpose.” An important mission for sure, and after briefly working with him, I have no doubt he will continue to succeed – thank you for your service Joseph and best of success in your new mission!

Fair or not, you’re often judged in the blink of an eye.When people see an image of your staff or your executive team on...
05/20/2026

Fair or not, you’re often judged in the blink of an eye.

When people see an image of your staff or your executive team on your website, they decide whether you’re trustworthy, competent, and someone they may want to work with in as little as 80ms.

That initial impression then serves as a sort of filter through which the visitor explores more – if that impression is negative, they may not go further, or they may come away with a less than positive felling.

Having a solid first impression is important for any business, but particularly for services businesses, where people are the product.

Think about the last time you were searching for an attorney, CPA, physician, or marketing agency – chances are you went to the About Us or People page to see and learn about the principals, team, etc..

Now imagine your company was facing significant issues that were public in nature – you’d want to work with a firm that specializes in communications, crises management, strategy and reputation management, and global public affairs. One such company is FGS Global, whom I recently had the pleasure of working with.

They understand the value of reputation, image, and “walk the walk” – and wanted to update the headshots of the team in their Boston office. The branding of these images should show both confidence and approachability, which is in harmony with the work they do. They also are very engaged when working with their clients, so the energy they demonstrate in their headshots should reflect that. And we had a blast shooting!

The images from the sessions at their Boston office are shown below – the look is consistent with their branding, and their expressions amplify it. If you visited their website and saw these images of their staff, wouldn’t you want to engage in a dialog?

Imagine you’re enrolled in a clinical trial as a patient for a potentially life saving drug and the company runs out of ...
04/29/2026

Imagine you’re enrolled in a clinical trial as a patient for a potentially life saving drug and the company runs out of money and shuts down before the efficacy of the drug is determined. Biotech companies succeed or fail for many reasons (not unlike many companies), sometimes not related to the viability of the technology, but for other reasons.

Typical symptoms include consistently missed deadlines, cost overruns, frequent changes in strategy, and so on. Companies burn thru cash, try to recoup by accelerating already aggressive timelines
Often the root cause of these symptoms is more operational vs. science – how information flows, how work flows and is interconnected, and how decisions are made. Drug development is incredibly complex and requires the team to work together like a well rehearsed symphony orchestra.

Sigma Lab Consulting is a Boston area consultancy that helps companies perform like that orchestra, connecting people, processes, and technology so decisions come faster and progress flows naturally. Oscar Gonzalez and Lawrence Wong, principals, have developed a framework to help biotech companies to simplify how work gets done and decisions get made.

Boston Business Mentors (BBM) is a volunteer organization that provides free mentoring to small businesses, and has been working with Sigma Lab Consulting to help them grow their business. BBM will be running an ad campaign on Boston’s MBTA trains, and wanted images of Oscar and Lawrence for the campaign.

We wanted to show them as competent, knowledgeable, yet approachable – as an industry, biotech’s “vibe” is much like high tech; business casual, confident – but not “corporate”. The lighting we used was designed to have a slight level of drama/contrast as the work they do is serious. For their expressions, we decided on a slight smile along with a look that shows their confidence and experience. The dark background was chosen to direct the eye towards their faces/expression (the human eye is immediately drawn to lighter areas of a photograph).

Below is the final image for the poster in both B&W and color (the latter will be used on the poster) – what first impression do you get when you look at this image? Can’t wait to see this as a poster on the T!

How is your decision making, your personality change when you’re under stress? Are you better at what you do when you’re...
04/22/2026

How is your decision making, your personality change when you’re under stress? Are you better at what you do when you’re under stress? Are you more or less open to alternative solutions to problems? And how does your organization fare when under stress?

Some people handle difficult situations better than others – understanding this and providing an environment where people are more effective, proficient, and the organization functions better is an important aspect of how some organizations are better equipped to handle crises vs. others. This is particularly important when it comes to handling health related crises on a large scale.

Fortunately there are people like Dr. Sellers, who worked with geographically dispersed teams, coordinating high-volume clinical and operational services, and delivering mission-critical readiness outcomes under complex and resource-constrained conditions. Having served in the military in this capacity for his career to date, he’s in the process of transitioning to civilian life and needed to update his headshot. Dr. Sellers came to my studio via the Portraits for Patriots program, a nationwide non-profit organization of volunteer headshot photographers providing complementary headshots for transitioning military service members.

Dr. Sellers image reflects his confidence, experience, and dedication to his important work – Thank you for your service Dr. Sellers, and best of success in your future endeavors!

People aren’t afraid of failing — they’re afraid of success and being seen.I had a client last year who hadn't updated h...
03/11/2026

People aren’t afraid of failing — they’re afraid of success and being seen.

I had a client last year who hadn't updated her headshot in 8 years.
She knew it was hurting her. She said so herself.

But every time we scheduled the shoot, something came up. A meeting ran long. The timing wasn't right. She wasn't "ready."

We finally connected and I asked her one question:
"What are you really afraid of?"
She was quiet for while and then said:
"What if I get noticed and another company approaches me for a new job with more responsibility/pay … and I let them down?"

I smiled on the inside – that’s what I thought. It’s the thing nobody talks about.

We dress up our fear of success and call it procrastination,
perfectionism, or "I'll do it when the time is right."

But underneath it all is:
• Visibility is terrifying.
• Expectations feel like a trap – what if I don’t meet them?
• Being seen means there's something to lose.
Imposter syndrome doesn't start when you fail - It starts the moment you succeed — and a quiet voice whispers (in my case) “You’re not a real professional photographer"

So we procrastinate, come up with reasons/excuses not to try something.

Every time I've tried a bold new technique in my photography, there's a split second where I think: What if it doesn’t come out well and I look like I don't know what I'm doing with a client?

But I've learned to ask a different question:
What's the worst that could actually happen?

Nine times out of ten, the honest answer is embarrassingly small compared to the story my mind was telling. The image below came from one of those times where for a fleeting moment I thought “what if the image looks horrible”? It turns out it’s one of my favorite shots from the past year.

If you've been putting off something — a headshot, a portfolio update, a pitch, a conversation — that you know would move your career forward…

Don't ask why you haven't done it yet.
Ask what you're really afraid of.

The answer might surprise you.

The photography business is very interesting - the perception is often glamorized, and people think it’s an easy busines...
01/22/2026

The photography business is very interesting - the perception is often glamorized, and people think it’s an easy business to start and prosper, but in reality it shares many of the same aspects of any small business. The work is creative, you can get to meet some very interesting people, but like any small business people often underestimate what it takes to be successful. And unfortunately, there’s a lot of “stuff” out there – by that I mean photographers offering courses, training, mentoring, paid FB groups promising to help photographers grow their business successfully – when in reality, all they are doing is making money off the backs of others with advice that is at best (in many cases) just plain bad.

When I first started, I joined several of these groups (when they were being offered for free) and saw some things that set my hair (or what’s left of it) on fire. From blanket recommendations to simply raise prices, to recommending people immediately start advertising on FB, to renting a storefront studio before they even had a marketing plan or existing client base.

I also saw a group leader of one of these groups advocating an aspiring photographer quit their full time job (in an unrelated industry) to “follow their dream” to start a photography business. This person had no existing customer base, no experience in sales/marketing, had a family and was the sole bread winner. Their plan was to quit, rent a studio, buy some gear, and hang out a sign. After hearing this and picking up my jaw which had banged the floor, I suggested that a more methodical approach might be in order – starting with a realistic financial plan (followed very quickly by a marketing plan) that showed a very gradual rise in revenue, no real profitability for some time, etc.. – I also suggested that this person might want to start doing this part time, not sign a lease but find a space they could rent from time to time, or shoot in their home, etc.. I was immediately shot down by the group leader, told I was being negative, etc.. Oh, and that the leader was starting a paid version of this group where he would be doing more mentoring, etc.. BTW, the leader had zero business experience besides his photography business, which seemed to be barely making a profit.

Over the past year in particular, I’ve seen many photographers start to offer mentoring, etc. on the business side, charging fees that vary widely – and in looking at their backgrounds – let’s just say if I were to hire a business consultant, their backgrounds wouldn’t cut it. But what really makes my blood boil is that they’re trying to make money off the backs of people who are struggling, and these “mentors” are waaay “ahead of their skiis.” Just because you’ve done something once doesn’t make you an expert. Moreover, they don’t understand the fundamentals of marketing and sales – and that every situation is different. What’s a great strategy in one part of the country may be a total flop in another. And they’re not teaching fundamentals or strategies – just tactics without a context or solid foundation/strategy.

If you are looking to grow a photography business and have specific areas you need help with, organizations such as PPA have online courses, but you also may benefit from help from real business experts in your local area. The local Chambers of Commerce also often have members who are business coaches you can tap into. SCORE is also a nationwide organization that provides mentoring, etc..

If something sounds too good to be true, remember there’s probably a reason for that…beware of false prophets making false promises.

We often take manufacturing for granted – we buy something, it’s delivered, and it works (most of the time!). But today’...
01/14/2026

We often take manufacturing for granted – we buy something, it’s delivered, and it works (most of the time!). But today’s manufacturing processes are incredibly complex, involving the orchestration of raw materials, processes, inspection/quality control, and so on.

Tulip is likely a company you haven’t heard of, unless you’re in manufacturing. They provide a cloud-based platform to digitally connect discrete manufacturing processes, guide operators, track production, and gain a real-time, holistic view of manufacturing operations.

They were interested in new headshots for their website that reflects their brand and their target audience/customers. Quality is an essential ingredient for manufacturers, and so it’s important that their headshots show attention to detail, as well as a high level of quality. Their staff includes software engineers, scientists, sales/marketing/finance, and manufacturing industry veterans in a culture that emphasizes work/life balance, a passion for their work, and diversity. It’s important their headshots reflect not only the expertise of their staff, but their culture as well.

Because of the level of quality and need for brand oriented images, creating headshots for a corporate website is a different process than a photo booth at a trade show, or where you’re concerned more about volume. Many people are uncomfortable being in front of a camera, and not only require more direction from the photographer, but also simply need a bit more time to adjust, relax – and the photographer also needs some time to “read” each person, and adjust his/her approach to best suit that person’s level of comfort. It’s often said we’re 80% psychologists/20% technicians.

It’s also important for the photographer to have a process that supports a wide variety of not just people’s physical features, but emotional states as well. I’ve found that making the process one of collaboration, feedback, support, and a learning experience works well.

The people at Tulip were great to work with, and it’s very clear they are passionate and confident in how they approach their work, and that translated into their work in front of the camera. Looking at their headshots, you can feel the energy – and as a potential customer, partner, or candidate (they’re hiring!), you feel like you’d like to meet and work with them. Mission accomplished!

I met Steve back in 1997 when we were both working at a high tech speech recognition company here in Boston – he was an ...
12/29/2025

I met Steve back in 1997 when we were both working at a high tech speech recognition company here in Boston – he was an engineering manager and I was in business development. We worked together on some initiatives and we’ve been good friends ever since.

When I was starting my photography business, I needed “guinea pigs” – aka, subjects to shoot so as many photogs do, you ask friends and family so I reached out to Steve and he became one of my first subjects. I was an infant, barely knew what I was doing, but we got some decent images.

Fast forward to today, Steve is now a board member and volunteer for several energy saving/efficiency non-profits and needed some new shots for websites, speaking engagements, etc.. First I created a mood board of potential looks/ideas to see what he might like, which would serve as a starting point for our shoot. We reviewed the shots and he provided feedback on what he liked/didn’t like, and we started from there during our session.

In addition to being a good person, Steve’s a “sharp cookie” with a PhD. from MIT, and many years of engineering/engineering management and business development at several high tech companies, mostly in highly technical products. When we get together for our regular lunch, we rarely talk “shop” though – mostly about our lives, families, politics (and politics, and politics), his biking adventures, and camera gear/photography (I finally convinced/shamed him into buying a good camera for his bird photography). So when it came to the right look for his images, I already had a sense of the expression/look that would convey who I know him to be. The final image shown here has a slight color grade added, to enhance the overall tone/feel, and color scheme.

It's always interesting when I’m shooting a friend/family – they know me and I know them, but I feel an extra amount of self induced pressure to get the best shots of them – yet at the same time there’s a level of comfort and latitude based on our relationship. At the end of our session Steve commented that my process/approach had grown significantly since we first did his headshot, which a smile on my face – I wrote about how I’ve grown in my approach in my last post on LinkedIn, but it was encouraging to hear his feedback nonetheless.

Maybe I’m too close to Steve, but I think his headshot shows all of who Steve is – passionate, competent, sharp, caring, and engaging – in Yiddish, a “mensch”.

I sometimes tale a step from the daily routine to look at a variety of things, the most important being am I learning an...
12/17/2025

I sometimes tale a step from the daily routine to look at a variety of things, the most important being am I learning and growing – in business, relationships, and as a person. This includes questioning some of the things I do/have done, assumptions I’ve made, strategies, or ways that I may have gotten either stale or stuck in a particular pattern that may not be optimal.

When I started my business, I studied headshot photography under someone who’s work I admire, adopted many of the techniques this person taught and the results were/are great. But I also came to realize that I didn’t feel comfortable with some of the methods and philosophies this person employed to get those results, along with the some of the strategies/philosophies about how to grow the business – it wasn’t me, didn’t represent my values and beliefs, nor reflect what I learned over my years of business experience. So I worked on evolving my own approach to both my photography itself and my business. Not only has my work improved, I’m happier and enjoying it much more – and I’m very happy with the growth of the business.

But over the past year I came to realize that there are other styles that I like and expanded my offerings in terms of looks and style. This has allowed me to expand the types of clients who come to me looking for photography (see some examples below), particularly those who are looking for something “a bit different”.

This expansion has also influenced how I look at and run my business, becoming clearer about the type of work and clients I’m most interested in working with. This year I’ve turned down more opportunities than in previous years; mostly where I felt the project just wasn’t a good fit for my style, which is creating headshots that amplify my client’s brand and look authentic and the results my clients hire me for. Could I have successfully completed the project – most likely, would it have been lucrative – again, most likely, but is it something that I want to do repeatedly, or where it leverages the value I bring? No. There are tons of other photographers out there who could satisfy those clients’ needs.

Which brings me to several important business lessons – being clear about who your clients are is as important as knowing who are not your clients. And always be looking to grow and expand what you offer that will bring even more value for your clients (assuming of course you’re already delighting them!).

Have you turned down business and/or expanded your offerings/value, and if so, how has it worked for you?

What a year! Talk about uncertainty, things changing, and going where we haven’t been before as a country – but I’m most...
12/10/2025

What a year!

Talk about uncertainty, things changing, and going where we haven’t been before as a country – but I’m mostly an optimist (if for no other reason than self preservation and whatever sanity I have left…) and I think we as a country will come out of all of this stronger and more focused, at least I hope so.

I think during these turbulent times, it’s especially important to be thankful – I’m so thankful for my clients who placed (and continue to place) their trust and faith in me. I’m also thankful for the partners and networking colleagues I’ve made along the way – I continue to learn from their insight and experiences, and hopefully help them by sharing mine.

I’m also thankful that I have the opportunity to give back – from donating silent auction items for a number of non-profit organizations, to my volunteer work for The Jimmy Fund, and of course my ongoing work for Portraits for Patriots. I meet some amazing people and have the opportunity to have a positive impact on their lives – it doesn’t get any better than that.

I’m particularly thankful to have the opportunity to do what I do – I still get a thrill when I see images pop up on my computer as I’m shooting, and seeing the smile on the person’s face when they see an image they like. Many people who get in front of my camera never have liked how they look in photographs, and have a negative view of their appearance. If when they leave, that perception changes and they feel better about themselves and how they look, have a spring in their step – that’s a win for me. I’m often reminded of a client session from several years ago where the person said their parents don’t have any pictures of the person smiling – at the end of the session, we had several images. The person later shared with me that when his/her parents saw the images, they cried. I still get goosebumps just writing about this.

Finally, I’m thankful for my friends and family and their ongoing support – you help to keep me focused on the important things in life – health, peace and prosperity.

Address

35 Amherst Road
Wellesley, MA
02482

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+17812370495

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