Carol M. Highsmith (born May18, 1946) is an American photographer and author known for documenting the U.S. She shifted from broadcasting to professional photography in the early 1980s, starting with the restoration of the Willard Hotel Washington, D.C. In 1992, she began donating her work to the Library of Congress, creating a permanent archive nearly 100,000 royalty-free images of landmarks, landscapes, and cultural events across all 50 states. Highsmith's ongoing project since 2010 aims to capture a visual record of 21st-century America, with a documentary set to air on PBS in July 6.