Photobook Review — New York in Color 1952–1962, Ernst Haas

A senior couple curiously gazing into the display window of a bespoke shop, illuminated by a diagonal ray of sunlight. A man walking down a snow-covered street, his head down and shoulders hunched inward to shield himself from the cold. Commuters, captured in full motion, making their way to work.

Through the lens of Ernst Haas, we get an intimate look at life in mid-century New York, all captured in the beautifully rich colour palettes of Kodachrome film.

Born in 1921 in Vienna, Ernst Haas immigrated to New York in 1951, where he would spend the rest of his life. In New York in Color 1952-1962, we are presented with the chaos and tension of the city, but not in the typical 'street photography' style—there’s no 'in-your-face' rawness here.

Instead, Haas' photographs are subtle, some meticulously abstract, allowing each image to stand firmly on its own. These images radiate a quiet yet undeniable power through their aesthetics. They neither scream nor shout, yet they convey something deeper—Haas’ inner spirit. They capture the curiosity of a newcomer, an immigrant offering his own perspective on his new home, as if to say: 'Here I am. This is what I saw. I think you should see it too.'

Some of the photos in this coffee table-sized book appeared in the first colour issue of Life magazine in 1953, while others were part of his one-man exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in 1962. This was groundbreaking for its time, as colour photography was not widely regarded as a serious artistic medium. Most photographers worked exclusively in black and white, so having a solo exhibition at MoMA—the first ever dedicated to colour photography—speaks volumes about the quality and impact of Haas' work.

"Through the lens of Ernst Haas, we get an intimate look at life in mid-century New York, all captured in the beautifully rich colour palettes of Kodachrome film."

Apart from Haas' curiosity, which led to a diverse collection of photographic compositions and subjects, there is something even more intriguing about his work.

What stands out to me is how Haas used his camera as a creative tool—almost like a paintbrush. He often employed slow shutter speeds to suggest motion and used reflections in display windows, making them appear as if they were double exposures. Then there’s his frequent use of vertical shots. In every frame, Haas is experimenting, pushing beyond the mere act of capturing a scene. Here is pure photographic joy and creativity, beautifully recorded onto the emulsion of Kodachrome.

The photographs in this book are all beautifully printed on relatively heavy matte paper, though I can’t help but wonder what these images would look like on a glossier type of paper, if that were even possible. In the end, Kodachrome is known for its rich, punchy colours, and sometimes I feel that this vividness is slightly diminished due to the type of paper used here.

That’s just a minor complaint about an otherwise beautiful presentation of Haas’ oeuvre. There’s a pleasing rhythm to the sequence of the images, and the book itself feels substantial—fairly heavy, with quality binding.

"The photographs in this book are all beautifully printed on relatively heavy matte paper, though I can’t help but wonder what these images would look like on a glossier type of paper."

Upon closing this book, I’m left with the feeling that I’ll want to open it again soon. It reads almost like a manual on how to create great colour photographs. There’s so much to learn just from studying these images, no matter where you are in your photographic journey.

I highly recommend it and I think you should see it too.

Photobook Details

Publisher: Prestel Verlag, Munich, London, New York
Year: 2022
Format: Hardcover, 207 pages
ISBN: 978-3-7913-8654-6

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