Next Frame: Reporting the News & Finding Your Visual Voice with Keren Carrión

11/20/2025

News reporting has got to be one of the toughest markets for a visual journalist to crack. But the whirlwind of 24/7 news cycles and the pressures of telling human stories in rural news deserts have not deterred today’s guest, Keren Carrión, a photojournalist and short form video producer currently working on the NPR visuals team.

Above Photograph © Keren Carrión

Follow along as we chart Keren’s evolution from stills to documentary video stories to vertical social media clips that can be absorbed in two minutes or less. We also learn about the many opportunities for feedback and career advancement she’s explored, and the mix of internships and mentorship programs that have been central to her career success.

Sunrise, made during Momenta Project Puerto Rico: Photographing Nonprofits Workshop, October 2019.
Sunrise, made during Momenta Project Puerto Rico: Photographing…
Resident of Barrio Obrero, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Resident of Barrio Obrero, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Coffee farmer in the field, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, October 2019.
Coffee farmer in the field, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, October 2019.
Ripe coffee bean in farmer’s hand, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, October 2019.
Ripe coffee bean in farmer’s hand, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, October 2019.
La Cinderella and Kory bridal store in Nogales, Mexico, 500 feet from the border with the United States.
La Cinderella and Kory bridal store in Nogales, Mexico, 500 feet from…
Coffee farmer in the field, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, October 2019.
Coffee farmer in the field, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, October 2019.
Photo from Texas Observer story “Oak Cliff Lowriders Bring Dallas Community Together.”
Photo from Texas Observer story “Oak Cliff Lowriders Bring Dallas…
Young adults in Lowrider car flash a custom paint job, part of an Arts and Culture story for KERA News/Report for America.
Young adults in Lowrider car flash a custom paint job, part of an Arts…
Black Cowboy Ke' Elronn Hatley, whose family owns a 300-acre ranch outside Dallas, Texas.
Black Cowboy Ke' Elronn Hatley, whose family owns a 300-acre ranch…
Girls in dressed in traditional Mexican attire during Day of the Dead celebration, Dallas, Texas, 2020.
Girls in dressed in traditional Mexican attire during Day of the Dead…
Single image from story on domestic abuse shelters during Covid, Texas.
Single image from story on domestic abuse shelters during Covid, Texas.
Migrants resting on cots while in temporary shelter at Casa Alitas, Tucson, AZ.
Migrants resting on cots while in temporary shelter at Casa Alitas,…
Anonymous portrait of T, an international student from Columbia University.
Anonymous portrait of T, an international student from Columbia…
Keren Carrión

When asked about parting advice for current students she notes, “I think it's really important to have a visual voice. And the only way to find that is to keep shooting. Yeah. And I will also say meet with as many people as possible, be mentored, go to portfolio reviews — figure out how to elevate that voice."

Attendee at the Republican National Convention, Milwaukee, WI, July 2024.
Attendee at the Republican National Convention, Milwaukee, WI, July…
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention, Milwaukee, WI, July 2024.
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump at the Republican National…
Former President Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention, Chicago, IL, August 2024.
Former President Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention,…
Barack and Michelle Obama embrace on stage during the Democratic National Convention, Chicago, IL, August 2024.
Barack and Michelle Obama embrace on stage during the Democratic…
New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s victory party, Brooklyn, NY, November 4, 2025.
New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s victory party, Brooklyn, NY…
Vice President Kamala Harris, March 2016.
Vice President Kamala Harris, March 2016.
American politician Pete Buttigieg, November 2025.
American politician Pete Buttigieg, November 2025.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman on a press junket for their movie “The Roses,” August 2025.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman on a press junket for their…
Former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer, August 2023.
Former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer, August 2023.
British singer and musician Ed Sheeran at the NPR offices for a Tiny Desk Concert, September 2025.
British singer and musician Ed Sheeran at the NPR offices for a Tiny…
Bad Bunny at the NPR offices for a Tiny Desk Concert, February 2025.
Bad Bunny at the NPR offices for a Tiny Desk Concert, February 2025.
NPR staff videographer Keren Carrion cheers for Bad Bunny during his NPR Tiny Desk Concert, November 2025.
NPR staff videographer Keren Carrion cheers for Bad Bunny during his…
NPR staff videographer Keren Carrion poses with her camera set-up during an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, November 2025.
NPR staff videographer Keren Carrion poses with her camera set-up…
Keren Carrión

Guest: Keren Carrión

Episode Timeline:

  • 2:28: Keren’s early photo experiences, pairing pictures with stories for her high school paper.
  • 5:05: Adding video to the mix in college and how this has influenced her storytelling.
  • 10:40: Keren’s advice to college students: Seek out networking and internship opportunities.
  • 12:17: Momenta Workshops and other non-profit mentorship programs, and how these opportunities can shape creative vision and skills.
  • 20:20: Working with Report for America in Texas, covering under-reported stories and rural news deserts.
  • 26:22: The evolution of news media and Keren’s work at NPR to create short form videos for distribution across social media platforms.
  • 31:12: Keren’s current gear, from iPhones to Sony mirrorless cameras, for shooting vertical videos
  • 35:32: Non-traditional news reporting and how user-generated content is now shared by larger news organizations.
  • 38:28: Keren’s future aspirations to evolve with the industry and learn new skills as platforms and audiences change.
  • 39:56: More advice for the next generation: Keep shooting to find and elevate your visual voice.

Guest Bio:

Keren Carrión is a photojournalist and a short-form video producer currently working on the NPR visuals team. Originally from Puerto Rico, Keren graduated from George Washington University in 2019 with a BFA in Photojournalism. Prior to her current role, she spent two years as a photojournalist for KERA News, NPR's affiliate station in Dallas through Report for America. She has also worked with CNN as a video editor in Atlanta, and interned with Univision, USA Today, The Hill, and the New York Times Student Journalism Institute. Additionally, Keren is an alumna of the Eddie Adams Workshop and Momenta Photo Workshop’s Project Puerto Rico. When Keren isn't working, she's probably sitting in the window seat of an airplane, heading to a new destination. If not, you can always find her with a camera in hand — or petting the nearest dog.

Host: Derek Fahsbender

Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman

Senior Producer: Mike Weinstein

Executive Producer: Richard Stevens