When Marcel Mayer joined the Mentorship Program, he was already balancing a demanding professional and personal life. As the CEO of an important travel company in Germany, a father of two, and a partner, his days were full. Photography, however, was not a hobby he casually fit in when time allowed. It was a serious calling that demanded structure, clarity, and commitment if it was to grow alongside his responsibilities.

Marcel had already completed two smaller photographic projects and felt increasingly drawn toward documentary and reportage photography. Yet, despite his motivation and early results, something was missing. He sensed that he needed deeper knowledge, clearer goals, and a stronger understanding of his own visual language. Most of all, he was looking for a way to work with intention and direction, rather than effort alone.

Marcel first encountered Sebastian’s work during a series of webinars he was hosting with his collages from NOOR Images in late 2020. From the first moment, he felt a strong resonance. He actively sought out opportunities to learn more and soon joined The Collective as one of its first members. This marked the beginning of a long-term commitment to learning, reflection, and growth. His journey continued through The Photographic Storyteller Course and the Inner Circle, before evolving into individual one-to-one mentorship sessions with Sebastian.

From the outset, the focus of the mentorship was not speed or shortcuts, but depth. Marcel began to rethink how he approached projects, moving away from intuition alone toward research, conceptual clarity, and long-term development.

As his process matured, so did the scope of his projects. Marcel began developing long-term documentary work focused on the energy crisis and geopolitical change, a project titled Unpredictable Certainty. The mentorship helped him approach this work with greater conceptual coherence, from research and access to editing and narrative structure. Learning how to edit rigorously and think in sequences became a decisive turning point.

Photography became a source of strength rather than pressure. His ability to connect with people, combined with a growing editorial awareness, allowed his work to take on greater depth and consistency. The support of his partner and children played a crucial role in maintaining this balance, creating an environment where long-term growth was possible.

Beyond individual projects, Marcel also benefited from observing how others worked within the mentorship environment. Watching portfolio reviews, listening to critiques, and understanding editorial thinking expanded his perspective and sharpened his critical eye.

Today, Marcel is actively developing multiple long-term projects, including work on the energy crisis and new documentary stories. He has recently been shooting an extensive story in Thailand and in Sarajevo and is in active conversations with international publications such as National Geographic, The New York Times, and Stern about featuring his work. His process is now guided by clarity in building a lasting and solid professional network rather than by uncertainty, and by persistence rather than doubt.

Marcel’s journey reflects what becomes possible when commitment meets structure. By pairing his discipline and curiosity with a clear framework and continuous feedback, he transformed not only how he works, but how he sees himself as a documentary photographer. His case demonstrates that meaningful, ambitious photographic work can coexist with a demanding professional and family life, when supported by the right systems and guidance.

His story embodies the core purpose of the Mentorship Program: helping photographers build clarity, depth, and momentum, so their work can grow with intention and endure over time.