Piel (*1957) is an autodidact photographer. His first photo appeared in the Rhein-Zeitung (Rhine newspaper) in 1975. Up until 1986 he worked for international photo agencies such as Reuters, AP and the DPA, and also did commissioned work for Stern, Bunte and Spiegel. From 1986 to 2002, Piel was head photo editor at the central offices of the Rhein-Zeitung and afterwards founded his Piel Media photo agency. Piel, the “Memory of the Republic”, who also teaches a Master Class at the Leica Academy, has worked most of his professional life with analogue and digital Leica Ms.
