Petra Collins: The Photographer Behind Euphoria's Aesthetic

Petra Collins, a 33-year-old Canadian photographer of Hungarian descent, has become one of the most influential contemporary photographers. Her signature style—film photography with soft, romantic tones and glittery accents—has shaped the visual identity of the hit series Euphoria, though she was initially hired to direct it. Collins shot music videos for Rosalía's 'Focu 'ranni' and Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drop Dead,' both released in the past month. She has exhibited at MoMA and Tate Modern, and created campaigns for Gucci, Adidas, and Calvin Klein. Collins exclusively shoots on film without retouching, often depicting women in private spaces. She gained early visibility on Tumblr, discovered by Tavi Gevinson's Rookie magazine. In 2016, her exhibition '24hr Psycho' featured teenage girls under colored lights with glitter tears. Euphoria's first season (2019) closely mirrored her aesthetic, but Collins was replaced as director due to her age and inexperience. She later saw a billboard for the show that she felt copied her work. Despite this, she has directed multiple music videos for Olivia Rodrigo and is working on her first feature film.