Peter Schmidt lives and works in Berlin, the city where he was born.

His first photographs were taken between 1971 – 1972.

He became intensivey involved in artistic photography occured during his work as assistant set designer and set designer for television in the GDR, in the department of dramatic arfrom from 1975 to 1985.

From 1986 onwards, he held freelance media eduction positions in the photography and painting / graphics departments.. From 1991 – 2000, he developed concepts and  project management media projects in the fine and applied arts.

From 1986 to 1991, he created various social documentary photo series, and between 1990 and 2000, he created  visual art cycles on the themes of portraiture, landscape, and urban landscape, some using film material with an increased contrast range.

Since 2001, he has worked intensively in the filds of urban and landscape photography, almost exclusively with the Camera Obscura, in medium format 6 x 6 – 6 x 12 cm.

In 2004, the “photo- und graphikmanufaktur berlin”, a multifunctional workshop gallery, was opened.

Between 2011 to 2024, he created numerous experimental photographs and photograms.