Milton Halberstadt (1919–2000) was a US photographer in fine art and commercial photography who left a body of work covering genres from abstract art to commercial photography.
Halberstadt grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and attended the Mechanic Arts High School, which taught mechanical trades.[1] He then studied at the Massachusetts School of Art.[1] Afterwards, he studies at the Art Institute of Chicago[citation needed] and the Institute of Design (founded in 1937 as New Bauhaus by designer-painter László Moholy-Nagy).[2] He served as an assistant to both László Moholy-Nagy and György Kepes.[citation needed]
He served as a US Army Air Forces navigator during World War II in the 456th Bombardment Group.[3] While a second lieutenant, he was a navigator aboard a B-24 Liberator called "Texas Ranger" flying over Yugoslavia in 1944 when his aircraft was hit by enemy fire.[4] Despite severe injuries, Halberstadt guided the plane down safely and he received the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for heroism in aerial combat.[citation needed]
M. Halberstadt Illustration studio in San Francisco produced fine large format studio photography. Halberstadt's clients included Del Monte, Dole, S&W, Paul Masson, Pan-Am Airlines, and Royal Viking Lines.[citation needed]
The Milton "Hal" Halberstadt Papers and Photograph Collection resides at University of California Davis special collections archives.[5]