Walter Schels

Walter Schels, born in Landshut in 1936, is a German photographer. Before turning to photography, he worked as a window dresser in Barcelona, Canada, and Geneva. In 1966 he went to New York to become a photographer; in 1970 he returned to Germany and worked in advertising and for magazines, including Eltern. He became known for portraits of artists, politicians, and figures from cultural and intellectual life, as well as for photographs of animals and flowers. His awards include the Hansel-Mieth Prize, the Gold Medal of the Art Directors Club for Germany, the Lead Award, and the World Press Photo Award.