Petra Espinosa is a Columbia College Chicago student working to convey powerful images to audiences through her cinematography and videography work. Through her education at Columbia, she has gained a lot of experience on student/non-student films, working in the technical aspects of Camera, and Grip and Electric. Filming a variety of genres, as well as illuminating the rich emotions of women, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and BIPOC stories, Petra aspires to continue incorporating her experiences into her work.
Artist Statement:
I will never forget that feeling of watching the credits roll after a film, and being emotionally overwhelmed and shaken by the images you just viewed on screen. It is exhilarating to be touched by someone else’s craft, and even more so to create something that touches someone else. This is my motivation that I push through my cinematography.
Through all of my photo and video work, I work to convey emotional meaning through visual imagery. Collaboration is at the heart of my creative process; working closely with directors and artists from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that the authenticity of each story is preserved. I draw inspiration from the colors, textures, and frames of life, aiming to create a visual style that reflects the emotional truth of the narrative. I craft images that speak to audiences, whether it is an abstract object or a casual interview.
Working as an AC and Camera Operator, I enjoy working hand-in-hand with the cinematographer to craft their vision through cinematic techniques. The technical and mechanical aspects of camera and g/e have always stood out to me, the feeling of creating that image with your hands in everything. I am the most interested in a project if I am an operator of sorts- using my hands to physically create a frame. With my experience in camera, grip+electric, editing, color grading, and directing, the visual story and mise en scéne is my most focused aspect.
As a camera person, I prioritize helping people share their stories, as well as incorporate my own into my work. Through any project that I am working on, whether that be narrative, non-narrative, commercial, or doc, the palpability of the visual storytelling is precedent. In my artistic journey, I am committed to creating spaces where powerful stories of all kinds can be told—ones that inspire, challenge, and ultimately unite us and the audience in our shared humanity. Through my lens I aim to honor the complexity of the human experience, one frame at a time.
