Full Frame: Death of the Colorado River

Full Frame features photo essays and conversations with photographers in the field.

The Colorado River used to pulse 1,450 miles from the Rocky Mountains to the Sea of Cortez. But today this lush vein of plenty evaporates into thin air before crossing the Mexican border. Photographer Brian L. Frank roamed northern Mexico and the American Southwest, documenting the human toll of the river's disappearance.

About the photographer:

A San Francisco native, I studied photojournalism at SFSU, where I was surrounded and inspired by a group of amazing colleagues who push me to this day. During my university years, I often found myself drawn to take a semester away from school to work on social documentary projects throughout Latin America, mainly focusing on workers rights and social injustice.

My inspiration for this was always my parents — my mother is a first-generation immigrant from Trinidad and my father a paramedic and staunch union activist.

During a long break from school, I drove an old 1972 VW bug across Mexico and landed in Mexico City, where I am based to this day.

My current Mexico work has recently been recognized by Photographer of the Year International, The National Press Photographer’s Association, Photo District News and the San Francisco Bay Area Press Photographers Association. I am a 2008 Eddie Adams Workshop Alumni.

I won the Pictures of the Year International Global Vision award for this story.