He teaches in Photo and Imaging Department at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and the International Center of Photography (ICP). He studied photography in the School of Visual Arts and in the Photojournalism and Documentary Photography Program at the ICP. He has worked at print and online news organizations, including National Geographic, the New York Times Magazine, and the BBC. Rodríguez has been awarded Pictures of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association and the University of Missouri, in 1990, 1992, 1996, and 2002. He is the author of seven books, including Spanish Harlem: El Barrio in the 80s (PowerHouse Books, 2017) and his photographs have been exhibited worldwide. He is represented by Galerie Bene Taschen.