When Kenosha native Katharine Kollman graduated from Lawrence University, she thought she would move on to graduate school.
Instead she found herself working at a café in Racine while figuring out what to do next.
“I ended up meeting some surfers on Lake Michigan and started surfing with them,” Kollman said. “I was really curious about surfing so I went to the library to find books on it.”
At the library, she stumbled upon books about freediving in the same section and wanted to learn more. She describes freediving as diving underwater in a “breath-hold,” using “your own body with your own lungs” and coming up to the surface for air. “It’s kind of like extreme snorkeling.”
“I found a class in Hawaii (for freediving) and came out here,” Kollman said. She had been living in Honolulu, Hawaii for about five years when she discovered her passion for underwater photography.
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“It’s kind of a natural next step for a lot of free-divers who spend a lot of time underwater — just wanting to document things,” Kollman said.
Now 28, Katharine, the daughter of Nancy and Peter Kollman of Kenosha, is becoming well known as an underwater photographer, with images on exhibit around the globe.
After seeing film photography work by Wayne Levin, she was inspired to shoot her photos on 35 mm black-and-white film.
“It was one of those eureka moments like, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to try that,’” Kollman said.
Kollman was inspired to use film photography by her father Peter, who was head of the Art Department at Tremper High School for “a long time.” Katharine graduated from Tremper in 2013.
“One of the classes that he taught was in darkroom skills and basic film photography,” Kollman said. “By pursuing film it was a nod to my father and to (Wayne Levin) who really shaped who I am.”
‘Insane’ experiences
She said pursuing photography and freediving has given her some “really insane, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”
“You go out on these really crazy adventures trying to find wildlife, trying to find these underwater caves and stuff. I’ve had really incredible experiences like diving with sperm whales, pilot whales miles off shore. I’m so grateful for that,” Kollman said.
Kollman’s favorite underwater subjects to photograph are eagle rays and pilot whales.
“You can never really guarantee those encounters, so when they happen I’m grateful for them,” Kollman said.
As a photographer, she said it’s “really awesome” when she finds unique underwater terrain because of the way the light shines. She said she’s “always looking” for something like that.
Gallery shows
Kollman has had her photos shown in galleries throughout the United States as well as internationally in Italy and Germany. This fall, the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts in Japan will also be showing her work.
She said she’s really excited for her shows and publication opportunities the rest of this year.
“I’m getting ready to put some work together and create some kind of book because I’ve been doing little things here and there but I’d love to do something more official,” Kollman said.
To look at more of Kollman’s work, check out her website at katharinekollman.com or at beacons.ai/katharinekollman.
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