Tristen Rouse is a documentary photographer and photo editor based in Washington, DC. A native of southern Missouri, he draws on his small-town roots to photograph topics surrounding politics, religion and culture.
He is currently a photo editor at CNN.
Previously, Tristen was a photojournalist at St. Louis Public Radio, where he photographed news and told visually-driven stories for its digital platforms. Prior to working at STLPR, Tristen interned at The Washington Post and at The Columbia Missourian.
Tristen is a member of the National Press Photographers Association. His work has been recognized by College Photographer of the Year, the Hearst Journalism Awards program, the G. Thomas Duffy Fund and the Missouri Press Association.
Tristen attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where he earned a Bachelors of Journalism in 2021 and a Master of Arts in Journalism in 2023. In 2020, Tristen attended the Danish School of Media and Journalism's international photography program and participated in the 72nd Missouri Photo Workshop.