Photographer Robert Frank, chronicler of American life, dies at 94

Robert Frank, the Swiss-born photographer whose influential book The Americans captured ordinary life across the country, died on September 10, 2019 at age 94. After moving to New York in 1947 and working for Harper’s Bazaar, he embarked on extensive road trips across the United States starting in 1952, accompanied by his family. Over two years, Frank shot around 28,000 photographs, with 83 ultimately selected for publication in France and later the US. His encounter with Jack Kerouac outside a bar led to the beat poet writing the introduction to The Americans. Beyond photography, Frank directed his first film Pull My Daisy in 1959, featuring narration by Kerouac and appearances by Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso. In 1972, he was commissioned to document the Rolling Stones, resulting in the tour documentary Cocksucker Blues. Frank continued producing books and films throughout his career, leaving a lasting impact on visual storytelling.