Business Portraits on Harley Street

Professional, Approachable Portrait Photography in the Heart of London

I recently had the pleasure of photographing a series of business portraits for Julius Bourke, a psychotherapist practising out of the world-famous Harley Street. As a corporate photographer, this kind of brief is a great example of how considered portrait photography can support a business far beyond just a single use.

Julius was looking to build a strong, versatile library of imagery ahead of a new website launch, while also increasing the volume and consistency of his Instagram content to help drive new enquiries into his practice. The aim wasn’t just to create one “good” headshot, it was to give him a bank of professional, warm, and approachable portraits that could be used across multiple platforms over time.

Making the Most of Limited Time

Like many busy professionals, Julius was working to a tight schedule, but he managed to carve out two hours for the shoot. In my experience, that’s a really solid amount of time for business portraits. It allows for multiple setups, outfit changes, and a relaxed pace, without things feeling rushed.

If you’re investing in professional portraits, one of my biggest recommendations is to plan for multiple outfits and locations. What you want to avoid is posting the same image repeatedly, or worse, sharing different photos that all clearly come from the same moment because the outfit never changes. Variety is key. The more options you have, the easier it becomes to keep your content feeling fresh and intentional.

Shooting Inside the Practice

We started inside Julius’s office, which was a relatively simple space, a desk, clean walls, and a couple of windows. Rather than seeing this as a limitation, we treated it as an opportunity to be creative. We worked through a range of natural scenarios: Julius at his desk, working at his computer, standing by the window, seated and relaxed, and interacting with the space in a way that felt authentic to his day-to-day work.

We shot two different outfits indoors and also brought in a member of staff who works with Julius. While they didn’t want to be featured directly, which is absolutely fine, it allowed me to capture something really valuable: interaction. By photographing over the shoulder of the staff member and keeping them deliberately nondescript, the focus stayed firmly on Julius. The result was a set of images that show warmth, approachability, and the kind of welcoming first impression you want when arriving at a therapy practice.

As a corporate photographer, these are often the images that resonate most, they feel natural, human, and reassuring, without being staged or overly formal.

Taking Business Portraits Outside onto Harley Street

Once we’d exhausted the indoor options, we headed outside onto Harley Street itself. This part of London is instantly recognisable and carries a strong association with medical and professional services, so it made perfect sense to incorporate it into the shoot.

We approached this in a balanced way. Some portraits were shot against neutral brick walls and railings, giving Julius clean, timeless images that could be used anywhere without being overly location-specific. We also captured wider shots with Harley Street visible in the background, subtle nods to the location that clearly place him in this iconic area of London.

This approach gives flexibility. If Julius wants to highlight his Harley Street practice, the imagery supports that. If, in the future, he wants something more understated or location-agnostic, the photographs still have longevity.

Final Thoughts

This shoot was a great example of how thoughtful business portraits can serve multiple purposes, website launches, social media, press, and future marketing, all from a single session. By planning outfits, using both interior and exterior locations, and focusing on genuine interaction, we created a library of images that feels professional, approachable, and authentic.

If you’re looking for a corporate photographer to create business portraits that truly represent you and your practice, it’s always worth investing the time upfront. The payoff is a set of images you can confidently use again and again.