Joachim Schmid began his career in the early 1980s as a freelance critic and the publisher of Fotokritik, an iconoclastic and original contribution to West German photography. In the pages of Fotokritik and in his regular articles and lectures for other venues, Schmid argued articulately and at times vehemently against prevailing, predominantly conservative notions of art photography and in favour of a broad, encompassing critique of photography as a form of cultural practice. After ceasing publication of Fotokritik in 1987, Schmid focused on his own art production, based primarily on found photography and public image sources.

The publication Joachim Schmid photoworks 1982-2007 was produced to coincide with the exhibition of the same name organised aby Tang Museum, Skidmore College, and showing from 3 February to 29th April 2007. The exhibition toured to the Netherlands and Sweden during 2007 and 2008.