Alexander Nagel was born in 1944. After completing his diploma in 1966, he made the transition from hot-metal setting to photocomposition, and then worked for the type foundry Berthold (a company that was at the forefront in the field of photocomposition). At Berthold he set type and brochures in addition to training photo compositors. From 1974 until 1984 he did his part to contribute to Berlin’s cultural scene by establishing a photo gallery with Regina Lindenlauf. In 1980 he co-founded Nagel-Fototype, which found its current home in 1995 at MetaDesign, where he manages the Meta Services unit.