Francis Haar

He started working as an interior architect and poster designer in 1928, and taught himself photography. In 1930 he became acquainted with Munka-kör (Work Circle) led by socialist avant-garde poet and visual artist Lajos Kassák, who just returned from Vienna. Kassák pointed out that photography is more than painting and can access such a part of reality that cannot be accessed by painters. Kassák's motto was photography is the real child of our age, not the painting. That was a lifelong inspiration to Francis. He became an active and leading member of the Munka Kör, his partners in socio-photography were among others Sándor Gönci, Árpád Szélpál and Lajos Lengyel, who later became renowned graphic artist and book designer. The first socio photo exhibition ever in Hungary was held in 1932, which brought the first success to Francis. His first photo studio was opened in Budapest in 1934.

Some of his photos were exhibited at the Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in 1937, so Francis Haar decided to move to Paris where he established himself as a portrait photographer.

However, in 1939 he was invited by Hiroshi Kawazoe to Japan and the International Cultural Society of Japan (Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai) officially arranged his trip. With help of Japanese friends he opened and operated his photo studio in Tokyo between 1940 and 42. The Haar family was evacuated to Karuizawa in 1943 and they spent 3 years there. He became the photographer of Yank, the Army Weekly magazine of the U.S. occupation forces in Japan, and subsequently filmmaker with U.S. Public Health and Welfare Section (1946–48). Again his Tokyo photo studio was opened in 1946 and was in active business until 1956. His wife Irene opened the famous restaurant Irene's Hungaria in Ginza, downtown Tokyo, which was frequented by celebrities, intellectuals, army men and sportspeople from all over the world besides the Japanese.

Accepting a challenge he moved and worked as a photographer for the Container Corporation of America, Chicago from 1956 until 1959. He returned to Tokyo and operated his photo studio again for a year. 1960 brought a great decision and the Haars moved to Hawai'i and Francis started his photo studio there. He taught photography at the University of Hawai'i between 1964 and 1974. He became the production photographer for the Kennedy Theater, the University of Hawai'i Drama Department.

Francis Haar died at the age of 89 in Honolulu.

• Francis Haar – A Lifetime of Images (edited by Tom Haar). University of Hawaii Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8248-2449-5
• Haár Ferenc Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine in Hungarian
• "Francis Haar Collection". UH-Mānoa Catalog for Archival Materials. April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024.

• 1933, 1935 First Prize, National Photo Contest, Budapest
• 1959 First Prize, Metropolitan Improvement Photo Contest, Chicago
• Golden Eagle Award for Pineapple Country Hawai'i, C.I.N.E., Washington D.C.
• Photographic Award, Educational Perspectives Magazine, University of Hawai'i
• Gift Print Award, Arts Council of Hawai'i
• Living Treasure of Hawai'i, Honpa Hongwanji and the Hawai'i State Legislature
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Hungarian Photographic Society

• Way to Orient Arts Publishing Company, Tokyo, 1940
• Hungarian Picture Book Benrido Publishing Company, Kyoto, 1941
• Around Mount Fuji Benrido Publishing Company, Kyoto, 1942
• The Best of Old Japan Charles Tuttle Company, Tokyo, 1951
• Japanese Theatre in Highlights Charles Tuttle Company, Tokyo, 1951
• Mermaids of Japan Kanabeshobo Company, Tokyo, 1954
• Geisha of Pontocho by P.D. Perkins. Photographs by Francis Haar. Tokyo News Service, 1954
• The World of Dew : aspects of living Japan by D.J. Enright. Photographs by Francis Haar. Secker & Warburg, 1955
• Tokyo You Should See Charles Tuttle Company, Tokyo, 1960
• Foto Haár Ferenc Corvina Publishing Company, Budapest, 1969
• Legends of Hawai'i Victoria Publishers, Honolulu, 1972
• Artists of Hawai'i Vol. 1 University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu, 1974
• Artists of Hawai'i Vol. 2 University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu, 1977
• Iolani Luahine Topgallant Publishing, Honolulu, 1985, ISBN 978-0-914916-69-7
• A Zen Life: D. T. Suzuki Remembered (edited by Masao Abe) Paperback, Weatherhill, 1986, ISBN 978-0-8348-0213-1
• Francis Haar: A Lifetime of Images (edited by Tom Haar) Hardback, University of Hawaii Press, 2001, ISBN 9780824824495
• Haár Ferenc Magyarországi Képei: út a Munka-Körtől a Zen-Buddhizmusig (co-authors: Magdolna Kolta and Ferenc Király), Magyar Fotográfiai Múzeum, Kecskemét, 2004 ISBN 978-963-8383-43-3