Let me introduce myself.

I am Marius Burgelman — a photographer with a restless curiosity and a deep belief in the power of storytelling.

Brussels-based photographer and freelance photojournalist documenting the world through a lens of curiosity, honesty, and hope.

As a stringer for Associated Press and Belga News Agency, I focus on social issues, underreported stories, and the moments that often go unnoticed — the quiet truths that shape our world. I believe in photography as a tool not just to inform, but to connect, to move, and sometimes, to heal.

My work is rooted in the belief that hope is a powerful force — not a naive optimism, but a quiet resistance against indifference. Through each frame, I aim to show the beauty, resilience, and complexity of life as it is, not as we wish it to be.

Whether I’m working on assignment or following long-term personal projects, my camera is both witness and voice — bridging distances between people, cultures, and realities.

Based in Brussels, available anywhere the story calls.

Editors pick

A yellow taxi cab driving through a busy street with pedestrians walking by, some blurred from motion, in an urban setting.

Three times nominated for the Editor’s Pick

The logo for The Independent Photographer with a black background, featuring a white square outline containing a circle and the letters 'I' and 'P', and the text 'The Independent Photographer' beside it.
Black background with white stylized letter 'F' and geometric shapes.
Logo for Street Photography France featuring stylized camera and text.

Rush. Kolkata breathes in color. In this image, taken outside Sealdah Station during rush hour, the city’s restless energy is painted in motion. The vibrant yellow of the iconic Ambassador taxi anchors the frame–a symbol of tradition in an ever-changing urban landscape. Against it, the cool blues of the weathered wall and the blur of passersby create a striking contrast, evoking both warmth and melancholy.

– LIFE FRAMER

Editors pick

Scenes of Life Editor’s Pick

Black background with white stylized letter 'F' and geometric shapes.

This image is a metaphor for our shared humanity, our common efforts and achievements, and our individual selves that never get lost in the crowd. It’s a busy composition, with lots of details and colors mixing in and filling the frame with energy. However, the business serves the photographer’s purpose and enhances the message. Sometimes, one has to break the norms to get close to the essence.

– LIFE FRAMER

Editors pick

Three boys near a large stack of rusty steel beams next to a polluted waterway with garbage and trash, palm trees in the background, and smoke rising from a building.

Youth Editor’s Pick

A black and white logo with geometric shapes, resembling stylized letters or symbols.

A theme like youth provides the opportunity to dive deep into social issues, raise awareness, and change the world for the better. This documentary shot has a meaningful narrative and denotes good technical and storytelling skills. The subject stands out due to the low shooting angle, a strong leading line guides the viewer throughout the frame, and the color palette enhances the contrast between how the world should be and how it actually is.

– LIFE FRAMER

Poster for an art exhibition titled 'Echoes Across' featuring a photograph of a person sitting on a wooden boat on a calm body of water at sunset, with the sun low in the sky. The event takes place at Galerie Verbeeqk in Antwerp from March 29 to April 27, 2023, with photography by Marius Burgelman.

Exhibitions

My ongoing project Crossing Borders is currently featured in my solo exhibition Echoes Across at Galerie Verbeeck & Van Dyck. The exhibition presents two years of work exploring themes of migration and identity.

"Crossing Borders" is a photographic project that explores the inner and outer borders people cross. It’s not just about physical migration, but also personal, cultural, and emotional transitions. The images reflect how identity shifts as people adapt to a changing world—whether through trauma, loss, tradition, or longing.

A view through the window of an older yellow taxi shows a man in a blue shirt sitting inside, with other yellow taxis and people visible outside in an urban setting.