Ernst Haas (Austrian, born March 2, 1921–died September 12, 1986) was an influential photographer most recognized for his innovations in color photography as well as his use of abstract light. In his early years, Haas was set on becoming a doctor, attending medical school in Austria. In 1947, he had a change of direction, and left school to become a staff photographer for Heute magazine. He won acclaim for his photo essay about Vienna prisoners of war coming home. He also received an offer to join Magnum Photos.
In 1953, Haas moved to New York, NY, and produced a color photo essay for LIFE on the city. The magazine commissioned additional spreads on Venice and Paris from Haas. Popular Photography magazine considered Haas to be one of the top 10 photographers in the world by 1958. In 1962, The Museum of Modern Art hosted a solo exhibition of his color photographs. Haas published his first photo book, Elements, in 1963.
Haas was famous for his intentionally out of focus photographs. In 1964, Haas was hired to direct the creation sequence for the film The Bible. The year 1971 brought about Haas’s development of a photo book called The Creation. He also worked on The Misfits in 1961, Hello, Dolly! in 1969, Little Big Man in 1970, and Heaven’s Gate in 1980. In 1986, the Hasselblad Award was given to Haas for his photography.
Haas created several books throughout his career, including In America in 1975, Deutschland in 1977, and Himalayan Pilgrimage in 1978. Prior to his death in 1986, Haas was working on chapter ideas and picture layouts for a book that he never finished. His children and former colleagues finished the book, A Colour Retrospective 1952–1986, which was published in 1989 by Thames and Hudson. The book provided an insight into Haas’s photographic philosophy.