Photographer Offers Laid-Off Federal Workers Free Portraits to Help Them Find Jobs

May 20, 2025

Jeremy Gray

Two men in professional headshots against dark backgrounds. The man on the left is bald, light-skinned, and wears a dark shirt. The man on the right has short black hair, dark skin, a beard, and wears a pinstripe suit with a white shirt.

Massachusetts-based photographer Barry Braunstein specializes in professional headshots. No stranger to using his camera to help people, Braunstein is offering any laid-off federal work in the greater Boston area free headshot sessions and a fresh portrait to help them land on their feet and further their careers.

As part of the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal government, as many as 121,000 or so federal workers have either already been laid off or are targeted for firing, per CNN. While it’s a murky situation, and some of the firings have been reversed via court order, the primary point is that tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of federal workers are already looking for new jobs or could be very soon.

PetaPixel contacted Braunstein after learning about his new complementary portrait sessions for laid-off federal workers on Wicked Local, a Boston-area news website.

A middle-aged man with short dark hair and glasses wears a light gray turtleneck shirt, looking calmly at the camera against a black background. — Photographer Barry Braunstein

“Like many people, when I heard about the layoffs of people who chose public service for their career as a way to help people, and with the negative characterizations being said about them, I felt like I had to do something,” Braunstein tells PetaPixel.

What he’s doing is offering complementary headshot sessions to federal employees laid off in Boston. There are a reported 25,000-plus federal employees in Massachusetts, many of whom work in the Boston area.

A photographer takes a professional portrait of a man in a suit in a studio setup with softbox lights, a camera on a tripod, and a white backdrop in an office environment. — Barry Braunstein at work

Before the session, Braunstein provides a preparation guide to help each person dial in the best wardrobe. Braunstein provides direct coaching and direction to ensure the final shot is as good as possible. Following the 30-minute session, Braunstein will provide portrait sitters a final retouched image they can use for their résumé and on LinkedIn. He promises it will be “the best and most fun headshot experience you’ve ever had,” as well.

A young woman with light brown hair, wearing glasses and a white lab coat, smiles confidently at the camera against a dark gray background.

A good portrait is essential for people trying to find work, Braunstein says.

“Recruiters are using LinkedIn as their primary source of leads for potential candidates (it has around one billion members around the world!)” the photographer tells PetaPixel. “When someone visits your LinkedIn profile, the first thing they see is your profile picture – the human eye is always drawn to images on a page before text. That profile picture creates a first impression in as little as 80 milliseconds — and that first impression then serves as a kind of ‘filter’ for everything they read about your background and experience.”

A woman with curly dark hair and medium skin tone smiles confidently. She is wearing a black collared shirt and is posed against a plain, dark gray background.

The photographer says it’s vital to make that first impression positive.

An ideal headshot shows confidence, makes a person look approachable, and demonstrates that they are serious about their career.

Different industries have different optimal looks, Braunstein says. When dialing in the right headshot, he makes sure to know what sort of work a person is looking for.

“For example, the look for a criminal attorney should be different from that of say a career coach. The perfect headshot is one that combines high quality lighting (lighting the face properly is different from lighting a portrait), pose, and most of all expression. The expression should look authentic, the best of you, with the right amount of energy.”

Turning His Long-Time Hobby Into a Second Career

The photographer knows firsthand what it’s like to start a new career later in life. After a long career in technology sales and marketing, he decided to switch gears and do photography full-time.

“Photography has always been a serious hobby of mine since high school,” he explains. “I had some paid gigs on the side over the years and had done a bunch of volunteer photography along the way.”

About a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, Braunstein volunteered to take portraits of the high schoolers starring in a school play alongside Braunstein’s youngest daughter.

“So I created a dark, dramatic look and the kids loved [the photos]!” he says.

“Parents wanted to hire me for family portraits, headshots, etc. So I actually quit my job to start a photography business,” Braunstein says.

“Given my background, experience, and connections I decided to focus on headshot photography. I know have corporate clients in a variety of industries including finance, law, biotech, technology, consulting services, etc., as well as individual clients. I have a studio and also go on-location for my corporate clients. I feel very fortunate that my business background, along with my experience in working with people fits very well with headshot photography.”

A man in a dark suit, white shirt, and patterned tie smiles confidently at the camera against a dark gray background.

Using His Camera for Good

Braunstein has just started this new offering, but is no stranger to using his camera to give back.

“When I started my business, part of my goals included using it as a vehicle for giving back. I’m a member of Portraits for Patriots, which is a nationwide group of headshot photographers who provide complementary headshots to military service members and their families who are transitioning from the military to civilian life. It’s a way for me to say thank you for your service,” the photographer says.

“I meet great people, hear their stories, and sometimes offer advice on the job search, etc. in addition to providing them with a great headshot for their LinkedIn profile, social media, etc.. I’m able to follow their journey by connecting with them on LinkedIn, and many of them have gone on to have careers in high tech, government, healthcare, etc. and it’s great to know I played some small role in their transition,” Braunstein continues. He also works with the Jimmy Fund, a cancer research charity in New England.

A man with short dark hair, light skin, and blue eyes smiles slightly. He is wearing a white collared shirt and a dark suit jacket, posed against a plain dark background.

He’s just starting to get inquiries and bookings from his latest offering, and is doing his first complementary shoot this week.

While he hopes few people will need to take him up on his offer, he will be there if they do.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of my business is giving back — their appreciation always puts a smile on my face and the feeling of doing something like this to help people, particularly when they’re in a time of crisis, is very different from closing a new paid gig,” Braunstein says.

He would encourage other photographers to do the same if they’re able. Beyond it being a good thing to do, he says it is also a wise investment in marketing and building your reputation.

“There’s only upside, and just knowing you did something to help someone is invaluable,” he says.

Image credits: Barry Braunstein. The included headshots are illustrative examples of Braunstein’s portfolio and not headshots of laid-off federal workers.