Nickolas Rossi is a Brooklyn, NY based director of photography. He attended Columbia College in Chicago for fine art photography and graduated from Portland State University with a degree in Sociology. Following university, he lived and worked in Montréal, London, Prague, and Los Angeles.

With over 20 years of experience behind the camera, Nickolas has worked extensively across the world shooting narrative, documentary, commercial, music video, and branded content projects. As a DOP/director, his work has screened at top-tier festivals including AFI DOCS, Melbourne International, IDFA, CPH:DOX, SFIFF, and DOC NYC, as well as broadcast and VOD platforms such as PBS Independent Lens, The Sundance Channel, IFC, Netflix, Hulu, and Prime.

His non-fiction film work includes the award-winning feature documentaries, “ADJUST YOUR COLOR” (2008) by Loren Mendell, Netflix’s “MERCURY 13” (2018) by David Sington & Heather Walsh, “THE SHERIFF” (2020) by Grace Sweeney, and “THE POWER OF TWO” (2011), by Marc Smolowitz. He is also a frequent cinematographer on the National AIDS Memorial’s series, “SURVIVING VOICES," by Jörg Fockele.

Nickolas’ cinematography has been featured in John Maloof's 2013 Oscar-nominated documentary, “FINDING VIVIAN MAIER” (2013), “THE FEAR OF 13" (2015) by David Sington, “UPSTAIRS INFERNO” (2015) by Robert L. Camina, “THE DAKOTA ENTRAPMENT TAPES” (2020) by Trevor Birney, and Lance Bang’s “INSIDE PORTLANDIA” (2012) for IFC.

His agency and branded content work includes clients Michael Kors, Pitchfork, LinkedIn, Google, Refinery 29, Maybelline, and XO Jane.

Nickolas’ directorial debut, “HEAVEN ADORES YOU," (2014) a feature-length documentary about musician Elliott Smith, made its premiere in 2014 at SFIFF, and screened at over 40 festivals across 5 continents. After a limited theatrical release in 2015, it is now distributed through Mercury Studios UK.