Biography

Mario Heller is a Berlin-based photographer whose work focuses on the relationship between our social structures and cultural backgrounds.

Originally from Switzerland, he started out as a pastry chef but in 2015 he decided to explore his talents to become a full-time, professional photographer. Now he travels the globe to unearth fresh stories that deserve to be shared with the wider world.

Portraiture forms a core part of Mario’s professional work and he has been published in numerous magazines and newspapers worldwide. Alongside his editorial work, he collaborates with non-profit organisations, NGOs and commercial clients. His reportages have been recognised by the Swiss Press Photo Award and were exhibited as part of a travelling show in 2016 and 2017.

In addition to his work as a photographer, Mario has extensive experience as a photo editor. From 2018 until 2020 he was employed photo editor at Bild am Sonntag in Berlin, shaping the visual appearance of the newspaper in collaboration with the editorial and art direction teams.

In 2020, Mario accepted an Artist in Residence post at the international boarding school Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz, Switzerland, which turned into a two-year collaboration. In 2021, he joined German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, where he is employed as a photo editor and photographer.

He is currently also Photography Director at LOLA magazine in Berlin, where he oversees the visual quality of the printed and online magazines as well as curating Berlin-centric photographic stories.