Australian-born, New York-based visual artist Brad Walls has revolutionized contemporary photography by reimagining how we perceive movement and space through his signature aerial perspective. The photographer has established himself in the art world by transforming everyday subjects—from synchronized swimmers to ballet dancers—into clean, graphic compositions captured from above, creating what he describes as "precise, quiet, visual rhythms."
Walls first gained international recognition with his groundbreaking "Pools From Above" series, which distilled swimming pools into studies of geometry, symmetry, and color. This approach has now become his visual trademark, establishing an artistic language rooted in restraint and careful planning. "I'm drawn to the elegance of order," the Australian photographer explains. "The quiet structure within chaos, the symmetry hiding in human form."
His latest project, "PASSÉ," elevates this precision to new heights by turning classical ballet into minimalist choreography viewed from above. Over several months, Walls collaborated with more than 60 ballet dancers across New York, working with performers from prestigious institutions including New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet School, and Ballet East. The project was developed in partnership with choreographer Ian Schwaner, specifically choreographing scenes for the aerial lens.
"It's not just a study of dance," Walls notes about the PASSÉ series. "It's a choreography of form, precision, and pattern, seen from a perspective rarely experienced." The resulting images flatten the stage into canvas, where movement becomes pattern and the tension between control and grace is magnified through his distinctive overhead perspective.
The PASSÉ series is being presented as an immersive exhibition in New York, running from September 12th to 14th, 2025. Rather than following traditional white-cube gallery formats, Walls has created "The Red Room," a striking monochromatic red environment that places visitors at the heart of ballet. Guests step onto original red carpet and find themselves surrounded by life-sized photographic prints at eye level, literally placing audiences within the frame itself.
This immersive approach reflects Walls' broader philosophy of rethinking how photography is experienced. Each visitor receives a handwritten postcard from a featured ballerina, transforming observation into a personal keepsake and blurring the boundary between performer and viewer. "I want to create images that people can step into," he says. "Not just something to look at, but something to feel."
Walls' artistic process is characterized by meticulous planning and design-first thinking. Every image he creates is carefully mapped and sketched before the camera is even lifted, bringing a sense of calm and clarity to his work. Whether capturing synchronized swimmers, dancers, or architectural spaces, his subjects are transformed into visual compositions that reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary.
The photographer's aerial perspective serves as the key to his distinctive voice, revealing how subjects that might appear mundane from ground level become striking and unfamiliar when viewed from above. His "Pools From Above" series exemplifies this approach, using drone-mounted cameras to find harmony in diving boards, lounge chairs, and turquoise tiles—everyday details reframed into something quietly hypnotic.
With his innovative exhibition formats and immersive environments, Walls continues to push the boundaries of how photography can engage viewers beyond traditional observation. His work invites audiences to inhabit the emotional world of his subjects, whether they're ballet dancers suspended in precise formation or swimmers creating geometric patterns in crystal-clear pools.
