Meet Dean Birinyi Photographer and Owner of Silicon Valley Headshots
I love my job so much I can't wait to get to work in the morning.
I’ve spent my life dedicated to living a creative lifestyle, personal and professional development and I really like helping others, especially through photography. I love making people smile and feel good about themselves. Back in the '80's I learned the more I serve the good of others the more successful I become.
My Career
I was in the US Navy for a brief time. I served one tour and that was one tour too many. I am not a good candidate for a career in the military. I did learn personal discipline and how to wake up at 4:30 in the morning. It’s been 40 years and I still wake up at 5:00 in the morning, but I sleep in until 6:00 on weekends. I’ve applied this structure and discipline to my business. I’m a great communicator, organized and efficient, engaging, compassionate, and kind.
38 Years and Still Going Strong
I also have 38 years of face-to-face customer service experience: negotiating, relating, recruiting, influencing, conflict resolution, goal setting, and goal achievement. This experience is invaluable when working with diverse individuals. I can quickly build rapport and get people to drop their guard and express themselves in front of the camera because they know I'm as interested in making them look good as they are.
From Babies to Business Execs
I was a commercial photographer. I worked with remarkably talented professionals from the design, advertising, and marketing industries for 32 years, winning well over 150 awards. After three decades I was ready for a change and thought of teaching, but found I needed a degree. So, I started work on an MFA.
After sharing the story of how I began my career, (doing children’s portraits in Kmart) with a woman after class one night she asked if I didn’t like the work. I responded that I loved the work, but hated the job. This realization motivated me to explore other options.
I found professional headshots and fell in love with the minimalist nature and intimacy of the genre. I’ve dedicated the second half of my career to creating professional and executive photography in Silicon Valley and look forward to coaching people in expressing themselves in their personal and professional branding.