Francisco Cortés was born on the border between the rural states of Oaxaca and Veracruz in Southern Mexico. After migrating to Texas at an early age, Cortés made the Southside of San Antonio home, leaving to pursue Chicano Studies and Photojournalism at the University of Texas at Austin. Cortés is known for his photojournalistic storytelling: ranging from pensive moments, to civil unrest, to the experiences of immigrants in their alternating contexts. With film photography and darkroom printing techniques as his foundation, Cortés addresses his images with a minimalist approach, accentuating but not manipulating truths. He instructs young photographers of color through educational programs, such as: “Detrás del Lente” and his most recently established non-profit: “The Light Catchers Society.