Denis Piel is among those photographers who quickly caught the eye of Alexander Liberman (1912–1999), one of the great art directors of Vogue magazine. In the late 1970s, this young man in his thirties – born in France and raised in Australia – was offered an exclusive contract by Condé Nast, a privilege reserved for only a select few, such as Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. Now, the exhibition at the Staley Wise Gallery offers a fresh look at the iconic work of this major figure in photography, known for his cinematic style, his portrayal of independent and sensual women, and his deeply humanistic approach.
A panoramic vision
Denis Piel’s journey began at the end of World War II when his parents, members of the French Resistance, left their homeland for Australia. His passion for photography emerged at the age of 12. “My stepmother gave me a Brownie, a small, inexpensive, and very old camera,” he recalls, his voice carrying a distinct and melodic accent. “She advised me to look carefully at what I was photographing – left, right, up, down – not just in front of me. That was truly the beginning of my love for photography. I became fascinated immediately, without realizing it would become my career.”
Piel’s career took off in the 1960s in Brisbane, where he opened his own independent photo studio, later expanding to Melbourne. He then traveled to Europe, making stops in London and Milan before heading to New York, where he quickly rose through the ranks at Vogue. “Alexander Liberman changed my life. He is the reason I got where I am today. At the time, I was already planning to go to New York because I was working for The New York Times. It was during a beauty and fashion shoot for the newspaper, featuring top model Gia Carangi, that Alex noticed my work and invited me to join Vogue. At that moment, I was already committed to another project, so I declined. And I was right to do so, because what he later proposed to me was far more significant. Our collaboration was extraordinary.”
Piel often captures his models lying down or lost in thought, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like François Truffaut and Stanley Kubrick. “I love their freedom and their unique way of seeing,” he says with a smile. “The diversity of Robert Frank’s work, an extraordinary filmmaker, also inspired me a lot, as did Irving Penn. I always say that if I could combine Irving Penn with Robert Frank, that would be my ideal.”
His bold compositions and vision of women – both active and dynamic, beautiful and free, strong yet vulnerable – continually captivated the fashion world. He embraces imperfections to preserve a sense of authenticity, even humanity, in his subjects’ faces. Beauty and light are ever-present in his lens. “I truly work like a filmmaker,” he insists. “When I start a shoot, I study the natural light in the space and examine the clothing. From there, I build a story with precise ideas about staging. Then I introduce the subjects and let them live in the moment before capturing their essence. I don’t wait for them to be models; I want them to exist naturally and sincerely.”
Piel often worked with the same models, including Rosemary McGrotha, whose presence in his photographs is mesmerizing. “She could convey both beauty and intelligence,” he says.
The essence of beauty
After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Denis Piel returned to his native France and acquired the Renaissance-style Château de Padiès in Lempaut, in the south of France. During this period, he traveled the world, capturing human landscapes while continuing to refine his innovative style in fashion photography. His models seamlessly integrated into his visual narratives – still sensual, yet depicted with a simplicity that emphasized their natural beauty. When asked about his fascination with nudity, he responds effortlessly, switching between French and English: “It’s the connection to nature. We’re born naked and we die naked, you know.”
In recent years, Piel has turned his focus toward photographing nature. The Staley Wise Gallery now presents an entirely new universe through his Padièscapes series, showcasing vibrant, abstract images that celebrate the flowers in his garden. The works in Down to Earth are inspired by his sustainable organic farm, reflecting his deep love for the plant world. “I wanted to challenge myself, to play with the colors of flowers and push them toward abstraction to evoke emotion—to show how they bloom, produce, and wither. Symbolically, a flower shares the same existence as a human being. Down to Earth explores the sensuality of both humanity and nature, of the body and the earth.”
Over the course of his career, Denis Piel has redefined the boundaries of fashion imagery. He has also directed commercial films for designer Donna Karan and photographed icons such as Charlotte Rampling, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sissy Spacek, Man Ray, Jasper Johns, Merce Cunningham, and Brian De Palma. His documentary Love is Blind depicts the relationship of a blind couple, and he has published several photography books, including Moments (2012) and Rosemary (2025). The latter is now available in a digital flipbook format in a virtual gallery, created during the pandemic to offer audiences a first look at his exhibitions.
At 81 years old, Denis Piel is now focusing on what he considers most important: the environment and inner peace. His upcoming projects? He continues to develop his Padièscapes series, delving deeper into the landscape design around his château, creating “evolving photographs” within a single tableau. But his ultimate ambition is to organize a retrospective that highlights the full diversity of his work – an oeuvre spanning more than 60 years.
“Denis Piel – Exposed” is on view until April 26, 2025, at the Staley Wise Gallery in New York.
For more information about Denis Piel, visit his website.
Link to Piel’s virtual gallery : Exhibitatour – Denis Piel Photography
