Nicholas Kraus

Documentary DP

A documentary series produced by Left/Right and The New York Times for FX and Hulu. I was deployed into the field as the principal cinematographer for several episodes, including the season premiere, which uncovered rampant abuse of students at a nationally acclaimed charter school in Louisiana. 

The Weekly

This four-part season follows Central Americans on an odyssey to the United States (and others heading back home after being deported), while also delving into the shadow industries that prey on them every step of the way. The series sheds light on the smugglers and traffickers who take advantage of the migrants' vulnerability, and law enforcement pursuing them at the border, while providing a look at the rarely-seen underbelly of the migrants’ world and their struggle to survive

The Trade

A long-format, hosted docuseries looking at the outer limits of obsession. I served as the DP for the first several episodes and set the tone and look for the remainder of the VICE series. 

Fanatics: The Deep End

From Executive Producer Adam McKay, The Invisible Pilot is a three-part documentary series about a labyrinthine story that begins in Hazen, Arkansas and ends in one of the biggest political scandals of our time. I served as one of the pricipal DPs across the project, which premiered on HBO in May 2022. 

The Invisible Pilot

For the world’s top adventure athletes, the line between triumph and tragedy is razor thin. In the pivotal moments when life hangs in the balance, what drives the greatest to continue pushing to redefine what is humanly possible? From Academy Award®-Winning executive producers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, EDGE OF THE UNKNOWN is an epic 10-part series that takes audiences inside the minds of pioneering adventure athletes as they recount the most consequential moments of their lives on their journey to perfect the mastery of their craft. I served as the director of photography for the Conrad Anker and Angel Collinson episodes. 

Edge Of The Unknown

A potent mix of vivid portraiture and lush vérité, All This Panic﻿ is a feature documentary that takes an intimate look at the interior lives of a group of teenage girls as they come of age in Brooklyn. I served as the principal cinematographer on numerous shoot days. This film premiered at Tribeca 2016.  

All This Panic

The coming-of-age story of Luis, an undocumented Guatemalan boy who forged his way to New York City in order to support his stuggling family back home. While Luis balances school, work, and his mental health, Judy, a veteran ICE officer and first-generation Cuban immigrant, navigates new immigration priorities. Winner of the grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC and a finalist for the Columbia-Dupont Award, this observational documentary offers a fresh and valuable entry point to understanding America’s immigration system and its human cost on all sides. I served as the director of photography for the final year of production.

Five Years North

The first installment of a series of short documentaries launched by ad agency Ogilvy for Corteva Agriscience, this spot features Leon Etchepare of Emerald Farms in Orland, CA, a fourth-generation farmer, and his experience of coming out in an industry that sees little in the way of LGBTQ+ representation. I served as the director of photography.

The Heart Of The Farm

A branded documentary short commissioned by Square, this piece follows 18-year-old Savannah Bradley during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. She’s a fourth-generation balloon pilot, and yet her family legacy hasn’t insulated her from the difficulty of being a young woman in a sport dominated by men. 