“It was so refreshing and exciting to realize that girls now are growing up in an age where they have more power,” says Toronto-based photographer and social-media darling Petra Collins who continues her foray into film with Making Space. One of three documentary shorts supported by BB Dakota, the project saw the 22-year-old artist and sister Anna embark on an effervescent road trip across the Deep South in search of what it means to be young in 2015. 

“Anna and I went into making these docs thinking that most of the girls would be like us,” she says of portraiting the star-spangled dance team of a New Orleans high school and the realization unearthed along the way. “They would be facing the same problems we faced as teens—self-esteem issues, eating disorders, etc—and by the end of the trip we realized that every girl we interviewed was totally confident, powerful, and that most of them didn't struggle with those things.” 

The fledgling artist’s work is an unedited account of the highs and lows of adolescence, seeking to get under the skin of the coming of age experience: Breaking out as a resident photographer for Tavi Gevinson’s Rookie magazine, Collins is also the founder of The Ardorous, a collective showcasing the work of emerging female artists the likes of Aussie illustrator Minna Gilligan and London-based fashion photographer Masha Mel. 

What characterizes being young in 2015? 
Petra Collins: Being able to be whoever you want and do whatever you want —especially in terms of gender. It’s so fluid now, which is awesome.  

What's the last documentary or book to have left an imprint on you?
PC: The photobook Thin by Lauren Greenfield, and Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s Miss Representation. 

What's on your road trip playlist?
PC: I'm actually super anal about my driving music, I match everything to landscape and mood so I have a bunch of different ones.Here’s a mix of them all:  “Drive” by The Cars, “More, More, More” by Andrea True Connection, “Love Me Like Music” by Heart, “Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin, “You Da One” by Rihanna, “No Safety Zone” by Ry Cooder, “Bad” by Wale ft. Tiara Thomas, “Pictures of You” by The Cure.