
about frank
Frank Relle is a photographer born and based in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from Tulane University with degrees in Cognitive Science and Philosophy. Since 2005, his work has been included in several museum collections and in over one thousand private collections around the world.
Relle’s photographs have been featured on the covers of books, magazines, and television features. He has been honored with numerous international awards. Frank was the curator of the United States Embassy sponsored New Orleans to Moscow Cultural Exchange Exhibition at the Multimedia Museum in Moscow.
Museum collections
National Museum of American History-Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D.C.
Ogden Museum of Art
New Orleans, LA
Museum of Fine Arts
Houston, TX
New Orleans Museum of Art
New Orleans, LA
Louisiana State Museum
New Orleans, LA
910 Royal Street gallery
In 2016, the Frank Relle Gallery opened on Royal Street. There, Frank is able to share his vision of the beauty, culture, and history of New Orleans and Southern Louisiana. Frank’s photographs hang in the double parlor of the historic Miltenberger House, once the home of the Princess of Monaco.
private & celebrity collections
Since 2005, Frank’s limited edition photographs have been included in over one thousand private homes and office spaces around the world. Listed are a selection of celebrity collections.
Wynton Marsalis
Brad Pitt
Ellen DeGeneres
Drew Brees
Hoda Kotbe
Gerard Butler
Rob Reiner
Dream Hampton
Sheryl Crow
Featured publications








Romancing the familiar
“For Frank Relle, a single image contains many moments. He uses fixed lighting and long exposures to create stillness, fixed shadows, and moving elements that denote the passage of time. Relle romances the familiar: Houses contemplate the lives lived in them. Trees step forward out of the forest. His landscapes are rooted in history. “
- Morgan Babst
Awards
Michael P. Smith Award for Documentary Photography, 2019
Photo Lucida Critical Mass Top 50 Photographers in 2006 and 2011.
International Photography Award, 2007
Color Photo Juried Award by Jay Maisel, APA NY 2005
ArtFields Competition, 2020
exhibitions








press










covers




SELECTED
PUBLICATIONS
Nine Lives Cover Image, Random House Publishing, January 2009
The Southern Review “Frank Relle’s New Orleans Nightscapes” Front Cover, Autumn 2008
Art Voices “Top 10 New Orleans Artists” Frank Relle, June 2008
Louisiana Homes & Gardens “New Orleans Nightscapes” Photo Essay, February 2008
Constance - Delicate Burdens Issue Two, February 2008
New Orleans’ Favorite Shotguns Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, November 2007
Katrina Exposed - A Photographic Reckoning New Orleans Museum of Art PressNew Orleans Nightscapes, September 2006
Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities - Louisiana Cultural Vistas “Frank Relle’s New Orleans Nightscapes” Photo Essay and Front Cover, Summer 2006
New Orleans Life in an Epic City Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, 2006
Louisiana 24/7 DK Publishing, October 2004
SELECTED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sherman's Travel "Q&A: Frank Relle Secrets of French Quarter October 2016 Roderigue-Jones, Anne
The Times Picayune "New Orleanians join Cajun Navy" August 2016 Brasted, Chelsea
The New York Times "After Katrina, Man, Water, and Louisiana" August 2015 Gonzalez, David
The Advocate "Photo exhibit captures an exotic perspective of New Orleans" June 2014 Rickard
The Times Picayune "Photographer Frank Relle heads to Moscow" May 2014 Langenhennig, Susan
The New York Times "New Orleans by Streetlight" March 2014 Gonzalez, David
The Times Picayune "Frank Relle: lighting up darkened streets" March 2014 Simmons, David Lee
Newsweek "Photographer Frank Relle Brings New Orleans to Moscow" April 2014 Herman, Barbara
The Times Picayune The best New Orleans art exhibits of 2012" December 2012 MacCash, Doug
The Times Picayune "New Orleans Saints former player Inspires Street Art" May 2012 MacCash, Doug
Gambit Weekly "Frank Relle and Jonathan Traviesa" December 2009
Oxford American “3 Years After New Orleans & The Gulf Coast - In Their Own Words” August 2008
Art Voices “Frank Relle PhotoNOLA Portfolio Review Discoveries” May 2008 Chong, Elijah
PaperThinWalls.com “Desolation Angles” March 2008
Art Voices “Frank Relle New Orleans Nightscapes” February 2008 Sciortino, NatalieThe Times-Picayune “The 60-Second Interview Frank Relle” January 2008 Rose, Chris
New Orleans City Business “Innovator-Frank Relle Photography” September 2007 Ferrara, Amy
Oxford American “My lingering love affair with New Orleans” August 2007 Bidiuc, Ada Liana
The Tulanian “Nightvision” June 2007 Marineillo, Nick
InsideOut “House Proud” June 2007 Peck, Renee
New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles “New Orleans is a Nighttime City” February 2007 McCulley
Gambit Weekly “Moments in Time” February 2007 Power Graves, Kandace
Pioneer Local “Library exhibition” February 2007 Isaacs, Mike
Art Business News “Market for Architectural Art On the Rise” September 2006 Pandolfi, Keith
The Street.com “Capturing New Orleans” August 29, 2006 Dane, Ann
InRegister “In the Spotlight” August 2006 Bordelon, Pam and Murray, Angey
Rocky Mountain News "New Orleans Nights in Jail" July 2006
KCCI-TV Channel 8 Des Moines, IA June 2006
WOI-TV Channel 5 Des Moines, IA June 2006 Krenz, Amanda
WHO-TV (NBC) Channel 13 Des Moines, IA June 2006
The Ann Arbor News “A Place You Should Respect” (Front page) July 22, 2006 Whitesall, Amy
Ann Arbor Observer “Requiem for a City” July 19-22, 2006 Page, Peggy
KDVR (FOX) Channel 31 Denver, CO July 2006
The Times-Picayune “Out of Darkness” May 2006 MacCash, Doug
Wraparound “The Year in Vision - It’s All Personal” Fall 2004