Brad Walls is a 27-year-old photographer from Sydney, Australia who’s transitioning from landscapes to aerials. He recently released a new series of photos – an ode to the beauty found in the shapes, colors, and textures of swimming pools. A+A recently interviewed him about his work, via email:

What are you trying to achieve with these photos?

I want to push the boundaries of aerial photography. 

Who was the client here?

For this series, there were resorts. But generally, “Pools from Above” was a personal project.

Why swimming pools?

I started taking images of pools two years ago on my travels around Southeast Asia for the sole purpose of collecting memories. It wasn’t until the end of 2019 when I picked up the best-selling Annie Kelly coffee table book, “Splash: The Art of the Swimming Pool,” that I began to refine the aesthetic and really focus on exposing the architectural features of each pool, and its own personality. 

Why aerials?

I knew there was an opportunity to be creative and move past the status quo of landscape and high elevation top-downs. There is this sweet spot that is out of reach for handhelds, but lower than helicopter aerials that I’m attracted to

Your technique?

My style is ever-evolving. Currently, my aesthetic focuses on minimal elements, clean lines and geometric patterns forming abstract compositions at times. I also enjoy experimenting with people as subject matter, I feel people, as subjects, are underutilized in aerial compositions.

Both architecture and people are still very new within the aerial discipline, because landscape photography is still very much the focus. I think that’s why I was drawn to this subject matter – it was exciting to push the boundaries and innovate with photography.

Your inspiration?

I’ve been inspired by Petra Leary as well as Costas Spathis in terms of composition and use of negative space. I also draw inspiration from non-aerial artists like Maria Svarbova –  her series of ex-Soviet pools sparked my interest in pools from above. Most recently, I’m drawing inspiration from Alexis Christodoulou. It’s very easy to lose yourself in his 3-D architectural work. 

For more, go here.

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