Carol Guzy was born in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. As a young girl Carol always wanted to be an artist but everyone told her she wouldn't be. She graduated with an associate degree in nursing in 1977 from Northampton Community College and planned to work as a nurse.
Until she received a camera as a gift, she earned an associate degree in applied science photography in 1980. She later on became a photographer at The Miami Herald.
In 1990 Carol Guzy was the first woman to receive the Newspaper Photographer of the year award, presented by the National Press Photographers Association. Besides her work in Washington Post, her work appears on the Photography Channel.