Herbert Piel

“Hunter and collector” and “memory of the german republic”.

Since 1975, Herbert Piel has been treading the fine line between areas of crisis and those of tense political activity.

With his special instinct for understanding situations and focussing on the key details, Herbert transforms emotions into information. Herbert Piel’s photographs are characterized by their particular formal clarity and are exemplary, displaying the highest quality in photojournalism. Many of his photographs are now icons of German press photography. Herbert Piel has worked worldwide for international picture agencies such as Reuters, the Associated Press and the German Press Agency as well as being commissioned by Stern, Bunte und Spiegel. He has worked on photographic reportage from Ethiopia, Somalia, Kosovo and the Kurdish region of eastern Turkey as well as Iran. Herbert’s work has been exhibited throughout the world.

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Herbert H. Piel * 19. March 1957 in Neuss / Rhine

He lives on the Rhine heights of the Middle Rhine since 1997.

First printed photo release 1975

Since 1975 he works with ILFORD Material, film, paper….

Working for Reuters, the Associated Press and the German Press Agency, as well as an order photographer for Stern, Bunte und Spiegel and other magazines.

International reports: Flight of the Kurds (war and crises in Iran / Iraq / Somalia / Ethiopia / Russia / Kosovo, China, USA, and the arrival of the refugees in Europe.

2002 Foundation of P!ELmedia Photo Agency in the field of tourism, culture, media, business and politics.

2004 Restoration of the image database of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate

Special and country exhibitions as well as book publications from the area of ​​state policy, culture and tourism.

Photographic presentations of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and publications throughout Europe and Asia.

Portrait productions and photo shoots (selection): L. Breschnew, M. Gorbachev, Yasuhiro Nakasone, Li Peng, François Mitterrand, Erich Honecker Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Elizabeth Beatrix, John Paul II., As well as the German Presidents Walter Scheel, Roman Herzog, Johannes Rau and Horst Köhler.

Lecturers at the German Presserat Topic: Behavioral police and image journalists.

2005 Photo presentation of the Rhineland-Palatinate in the USA.

In Edgar Reitz’s cinema film epos  “Heimat III”, he took over the role of the photographer “Schwarz” in 2005.

2008 National photo exhibition in the national museum Koblenz Fortress Ehrenbreitstein.

2008 The P!ELstudios were opened.

2009 / December Appointment as full member of the German Society of Photography.

2010 Beginning of the beginning of the exhibition series “Please do not smile!” with exhibitions all over Germany.

2013 1.exhibition in China in cooperation with the German Embassy in Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore.

2011 March 1. Exhibition at the LEICA Galerie / Solms.

2011 July Community exhibition “Mighty Heads” “IMAGETRUST” / National museum Rheinland-Pfalz.

2014 Nationwide exhibition “WENDEZEIT” The year after Berlin “Mauerfall”.

2014 (from May) Leica Academy lecturer Masterclass Workshops “Reportage”,

2015 Report in Togo / water and hygiene situation for german Red Cross.

2015 Reportage USA / Westcoast.

2016 Nationwide exhibitions in 8 museums: “arrival of the refugees”.

2016 Lecturer at the Gutenbergschule Frankfurt / photography / reportage.

August 2016 Reportage at the “ancient silk road / China”.

New project since November 2016: The transformation of a UNESCO World Heritage: the River Rhine.

== Awards ==

World Press Award recognition
Rückblende 1st Prize “The Political Picture”
Picture presentation at MAGNUM / Paris
Nomination: Courage of the Nation