Through Mel Frank's Lens

Editor's Note: Cannabis Business Times published an exclusive profile of cannabis legend Mel Frank, aka James J. Goodwin, in the August 2023 edition. As part of that article detailing Frank's life and career, CBT showcased a sample of Frank's photography from the 1970s, '80s and '90s, images that became part of Frank’s first photography exhibit titled “When We Were Criminals” in 2018 at the M+B art gallery in Los Angeles, where each room was organized by theme. Later that year, the Benrubi Gallery in Manhattan featured another one-person show of his work. The cultivars are from Mel Frank's seed collection, much of which was lost to a fire. The images reflect the time before states began to legalize cannabis for medical purposes and long before adult-use. All photos below are by Mel Frank, aka James J. Goodwin, and published with permission.