Denis Piel
Encyclopedia
Denis Piel is a photographer and film director
.
Piel started his career in Brisbane
Australia in 1961 apprenticed to be a litho printer. In 1962 he started work as an assistant in commercial photography studio. In 1967 started his own studio shooting everything from portraits to industrial sites and then moved to Melbourne
where he specialized in fashion shooting for magazines Pol and Vogue
Australia before moving to Europe in the early seventies where he worked for Votre Beauté, Elle
, Marie Claire
and for the advertising division of French Vogue. He moved to America in the late 1970s when offered a contract by Alexander Liberman
after seeing a shoot shot for the New York Times Magazine, to work primarily for Vogue and other Condé Nast
publications.
In addition to his fashion and beauty shoots he shot many portraits of actors/ actresses as well as artists, dancers for Vogue, Vanity Fair
and GQ as well as Rolling Stone
. He has also worked as an advertising photographer with Revlon
, Estée Lauder
, Donna Karan
and many other cosmetic and fashion houses. He won the Leica Medal of Excellence for Commercial Photography in 1987.
He was inspired to work as a film director after being asked to act as a technical advisor on the film Exposed
by James Toback
with Rudolf Nureyev and Nastassja Kinski
with Ian McShane playing a fashion photographer. He subsequently enrolled at New York University
where he undertook a two year part time course in writing and film directing. He opened his film company Jupiter Films in the mid 1980s and worked with Window Productions in Sydney Australia, Frog Film in France and PetersenNauman in Germany.
He produced and directed his first feature length documentary Love Is Blind in the early 1990s. Most recently he has concentrated on personal photography and film projects, Premier Oeil, PLATESCAPES, and nhis multi-faceted FACESCAPES which combine photography and film to look at the commonality between people.
Piel now lives in southwest France with his wife and son where he is an artist in residence at the PADIES Culture & Cultures Festival.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Piel started his career in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
Australia in 1961 apprenticed to be a litho printer. In 1962 he started work as an assistant in commercial photography studio. In 1967 started his own studio shooting everything from portraits to industrial sites and then moved to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
where he specialized in fashion shooting for magazines Pol and Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
Australia before moving to Europe in the early seventies where he worked for Votre Beauté, Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
, Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and...
and for the advertising division of French Vogue. He moved to America in the late 1970s when offered a contract by Alexander Liberman
Alexander Liberman
Alexander Semeonovitch Liberman was a Russian-American magazine editor, publisher, painter, photographer, and sculptor. He held senior artistic positions during his 32 years at Condé Nast Publications.-Biography:When his father took a post advising the Soviet government, the family moved to Moscow...
after seeing a shoot shot for the New York Times Magazine, to work primarily for Vogue and other Condé Nast
Condé Nast Publications
Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, is a magazine publisher. In the U.S., it produces 18 consumer magazines, including Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, as well as four business-to-business publications, 27 websites, and more than 50 apps...
publications.
In addition to his fashion and beauty shoots he shot many portraits of actors/ actresses as well as artists, dancers for Vogue, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
and GQ as well as Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. He has also worked as an advertising photographer with Revlon
Revlon
Revlon is an American cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care company founded in 1932.-History:Revlon was founded in the midst of the Great Depression, 1932, by Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, along with a chemist, Charles Lachman, who contributed the "L" in the Revlon name...
, Estée Lauder
Estée Lauder Companies
Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. is a manufacturer and marketer of prestige skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The company has its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-History:...
, Donna Karan
Donna Karan
Donna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.-Early life:...
and many other cosmetic and fashion houses. He won the Leica Medal of Excellence for Commercial Photography in 1987.
He was inspired to work as a film director after being asked to act as a technical advisor on the film Exposed
Exposed (1983 film)
Exposed is an English-language 1983 film directed and written by James Toback. Nastassja Kinski, Rudolf Nureyev and Harvey Keitel star.-Cast:* Nastassja Kinski as Elizabeth Carlson* Rudolf Nureyev as Daniel Jelline* Harvey Keitel as Rivas...
by James Toback
James Toback
James Lee Toback is an American screenwriter and film director.-Early life:Toback was born in New York City. His mother, Selma Judith , was a President of The League of Women Voters and a moderator of political debates on NBC. His father, Irwin Lionel Toback, was a stockbroker and former...
with Rudolf Nureyev and Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski is a German-born American-based actress who has appeared in more than 60 films. Her starring roles include her Golden Globe Award-winning portrayal of the title character in Tess and her roles in two erotic films , as well as parts in Wim Wenders' films The Wrong Move; Paris,...
with Ian McShane playing a fashion photographer. He subsequently enrolled at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
where he undertook a two year part time course in writing and film directing. He opened his film company Jupiter Films in the mid 1980s and worked with Window Productions in Sydney Australia, Frog Film in France and PetersenNauman in Germany.
He produced and directed his first feature length documentary Love Is Blind in the early 1990s. Most recently he has concentrated on personal photography and film projects, Premier Oeil, PLATESCAPES, and nhis multi-faceted FACESCAPES which combine photography and film to look at the commonality between people.
Piel now lives in southwest France with his wife and son where he is an artist in residence at the PADIES Culture & Cultures Festival.
Films and videos
- Love is Blind (1993)
- FACESCAPES Latitude43.53333 longitude 2.066666 (2005)
- FACESCAPES PART 1"AGING"(2007)