Katie Colwell is a New York City–based Director and Director of Photography specializing in bold visual storytelling and underwater work. Originally from a small town in Connecticut, she earned her B.A. in Filmmaking from Oakland University (Rochester, MI), where she competed as a Division I swimmer.

With over six years of experience as a Director of Photography, Katie strives to create images that feel lived-in and emotionally resonant, balancing technical precision with her intuitive approach to storytelling. Notable collaborations include Flaunt Magazine, Saks Fifth Avenue, Amazon, The Bowery Hotel, and more.

Katie was selected to shadow DP Barbie Leung on Kids Like Me, which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival. She was also one of six cinematographers selected for both the 2026 Moonshot Initiative Film Challenge and the 2022 Women’s Weekend Film Challenge.

As a director, Katie has worked with notable talent including Nat Wolff and directed Season 2, Episode 2 of the award-winning web series Dead-Enders. Her proof-of-concept horror short Lapse received the Seed&Spark Patrons Circle grant from Couper Samuelson of Blumhouse and is currently in feature development.

Katie’s latest directorial project, Being Here, is a tender slice-of-life drama about sisterhood, coming out, and connection aboard a sailboat, and is currently on the festival circuit.

Let’s collaborate! kcolwell41@gmail.com