Carolyn Van Houten

Washington, D.C.

Staff Photojournalist

Education: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A. Journalism

Carolyn Van Houten is a staff photojournalist at the Washington Post. Prior to joining The Post, she worked for the San Antonio Express-News and National Geographic, among others. She has covered stories in dozens of countries from Angola to Antarctica. Her work focuses on the impact of policy on communities, especially with regard to immigration, health, and science. Carolyn was a recipient of the Overseas Press Club's Robert Capa Gold Medal, RFK Human Rights Award, Pictures of the Year International Newspaper Photographer of the Year, and was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media. She wor
Latest from Carolyn Van Houten

    Texas judge deciding fate of FDA-approved abortion pill

    A Texas judge held a hearing March 15 in a lawsuit brought by anti-abortion groups, challenging the FDA approval of the widely used abortion pill mifepristone

    March 15, 2023

    Native Americans gather at powwow to celebrate culture

    More than 700 attendees came to the event, which was the first powwow that’s been held at the university since the coronavirus pandemic. It was the biggest turnout ever for the powwow at the U-Md., which has held the event since the 1990s but had stopped.

    March 11, 2023

    The world is moving on from the pandemic. Not these covid long-haulers.

    Five readers share their bouts with chronic fatigue and other symptoms of long covid.

    August 26, 2022

    For Jackson, an outpouring of fan mail and other tokens of admiration

    Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson shares some of the mail she has received since her confirmation to the Supreme Court.

    July 1, 2022

    In Colorado’s climate change hot spot, the West’s water is evaporating

    Post analysis found the largest part of the continental United States to warm more than 2 degrees Celsius since 1895 lies in Colorado and Utah.

    August 7, 2020

    Lives adrift in a rapidly warming world: A photographic portrait

    Climate change may seem like a distant danger to many, but around the globe, people are seeing its full, transformative impact. From Alaska to Angola, Qatar to Colorado and more, Post photographers share their stories of a growing crisis.

    December 2, 2019

    A crisis in the water is decimating this once-booming fishing town

    The gradual disappearance of fish is a death knell for Tombwa, a town of 50,000 in Angola that has little else to offer residents.

    November 27, 2019

    Dangerous new hot zones are spreading around the world

    Major parts of the globe have already passed the 2 degrees Celsius of warming threshold, a Washington Post investigation has found.

    September 11, 2019

      Inside the Border Patrol’s largest migrant processing center

      The Washington Post gets an inside look at U.S. Border Patrol's largest holding facility along the southwest border.

      August 14, 2019

        Botswana, land of elephants

        The southern African country is home to nearly a third of Africa’s elephants

        June 25, 2019