The other day, Petra sent us an email: “Hey, I was just organizing my computer and found a bunch of old images from high school and such. Feel free to use them if you want.” When we opened the attachments, we were like, YES, PLEASE. She was kind enough to write captions for us too.
This is me on a rooftop I snuck onto in Toronto. This was grade nine, the first year I really started documenting my life in photos.
My favorite pair of Docs ever on some carpet at some party.
My friend Fraser dancing to “Born Slippy” by Underworld in Avery’s infamous disco fort.
Me at Tasha’s, probably sometime in 2007. My friends and I always went to Tasha’s because she had no curfew—we would go to her house, listen to music, then go out. We’d return to her apartment as the sun was rising and sleep until late afternoon.
The only bra I’ve ever owned, hanging on my sister’s door.
Tasha, Carmen, and Mada on Tasha’s couch in ’08.
Tasha and Carmen doing bad things.
Kalale sneaking in through the window.
Anna’s friends Raevv’n, Aurora, and Dunia sitting on my bed. This was the first time we ever hung out, and also when I decided I wanted to capture their lives in photos. That was five years ago, and I haven’t stopped.
Raevv’n, Aurora, and Dunia getting ready at my house.
I think this was the summer of grade 10, but I’m not sure. What I do remember was how hot it was that day. We all piled into my friend Juliet’s room and vegged out in the air conditioning.
My windowsill.
Sunset outside of the subway station by my high school.
New Year’s Eve, 2010. I think this is Tasha’s hand. It was beyond freezing and I honestly forget why I took this, but it was one of just a few photos I took that night.
A self-portrait I took by the window in my bedroom. I would always sit in this spot and listen to music and space out. It was my safe haven, where I could look out at the city from a distance.
Carmen at sunset on a rooftop we snuck onto in Montreal. I believe this was our last year of high school. At the time, all my friends were about to move to Montreal for college and looking for places to live in the city. I was one of the few who were staying behind. This evening was really bittersweet for me, because I knew that next year all my friends would be here without me.
My best friend Fraser running around that same Montreal rooftop.
Carmen at sunset.
Fraser falling down in Riverdale Park.
Tasha on her balcony.
The last day of high school. Mickey and I decided to flash everyone. End. Of. Story. ♦
45 Comments
so so so wonderful. i want to be you petra
oh shit i went to school with raevv’n! whadda small world this is
I LOVE that Petra has only ever owned one bra. In middle school I always felt so pressured to wear them but I hate them so much and they’re so uncomfortable so I just don’t and knowing that REALLY COOL PEOPLE LIKE PETRA ALSO DON’T JUST MAKES ME SO GLAD. i love you xoxox
this is such a lovely way to spend my last afternoon of 2013 – looking through these beautiful photos. They make me want to buy a million disposables and photograph my life. Thank you, Petra!
These are wonderful, Petra is wonderful, her owning only 1 bra is wonderful. Happy new year to everyone :-)
These are beautiful. I want to document my life through photos and have an album like this in a few years. Petra’s photography always looks so candid and natural.
I live in Toronto and my life is literally so boring
At least you don’t live in Brampton. In Toronto, there’s stuff to do even if you never do it. In Brampton, there’s nothing. You can watch hundreds of houses being built. Brampton is boring and ugly. Ugh, this place.
Oh god! I just had my prom three days ago and in two weeks I’ll know if I got into university and I’m feeling so nostalgic already about school and my classmates and friends and everything because we’re all going to different cities and we don’t know how often we are seeing each other :ccc
Petra, your photos inspire me everyday to try my best at photography <333
i loved photo no.10, it reminds me the lisbon sisters
this is the best thing ever
so weird and nice and weird seeing rosedale on rookie
So beautiful, makes me wanna take a picture for every instant of my life :)
I get that rookie seeks to provide a less judgemental, more realistic narrative on young drug use but I still don’t know how I feel about that image. I’m trying to work it round in my head, but my gut response is that it glamorises. As a first aider I find that problematic.
this makes me so happy and sad at the same timeee! so much nostalgia <3333 petra can i have your life tho
Petra, I always have loved your hair!!
so lovely. i feel like taking photos like you. Happy new year:)
Oh my god these photos are so beautiful I wish my teenage years were like this. Petra you are amazing!
i love your photos!
love these. so dreamy.
wow this makes me realize even more that im a dweeb :)
lovely photos though lol
These are so wonderful <3 The captions really help show what adventures Petra has had.
The fact that you could wear jean shorts to school makes Toronto seem like another planet to me. I’m a British person who had a school uniform and if I’d flashed anyone on the last day of school they would probably have had me arrested and I’d also have frozen tits.
haha this is wonderful
Insanely in love with how beautiful and dreamy all of these photos are.
//velveteenstyle.blogspot.com
this is really cool!
Ooooh beyond perfection!
Oh, these are perfect! I love the photo of you at the window looking at the city.
This is just one of those series of photos that are so perfect and relatable it’s hard to believe they haven’t just been produced by some “This is what your teenage years should look like and they do just your spending too much time fan girling over other girls’ adolescence to notice” machine.
So fabulously YOLO
awwwhhh i love this so much, i hate it that the same person is standing in all my pictures! there’s literally no one here to take pictures with. i live in the south of the netherlands like in the middle of nowhere.
ok blog link
I didn’t look like this at anytime during high school :( lol!
i used to judge people who took pictures of everything instead of actually experiencing life, but i’ve since realized the beauty of documenting your daily life with images (as well as in words, but personally that’s been no revelation.) i film things, too, so i can remember people’s voices, but it’s not quite as beautiful.
PS the aforementioned pictures –>
These pictures have such a subtle magic to them, it’s really beautiful. They just scream teenager in the best way possible. Also yay Petra and Mickey for the flashing part at the end, it was pretty awesome!
I don’t know how to describe my feelings about them; they seem so…REAL. I really like that.
These are so great. They really capture a lifestyle and make a story. They are SO Nan Goldin, you guys. Perfect.
xo,
Katherine
I love Petra’s photos so much, she seems to be so cool
omg your teenage was so cool and interesting i wish i had friends like yours tbh they seem so cool
the most beautiful thing <3 <3 love it so much
i love love love these photos, and they have inspired me to take photos more like these. Does anyone know what camera Petra used, especially in photos 19, 20 and 21 because i think the light has been captured so well. All of these photos are so gorgeous and captivating. Please let me know if you know the camera xo
I’m very new here, but I was just wondering.. who’s petra? and where could I find more of her photography? I absolutley love this bit.
https://www.rookiemag.com/author/petra/
☺
These are amazing!<3
xxBianca
So I’m not the only one with a computer full of strange, late-night photo memories that actually turned out quite good… This is my favourite photo set