Brad Walls has always been interested in aerial photography, but it was when he began looking through a collection of photos he’d shot during summer vacations that something specific clicked. “I began to see that swimming pools have a natural inkling for many rudimentary design principles—leading lines, negative space, symmetry, to name a few,” the Australian photographer tells AD. “I’m sure the likes of David Hockney already saw this, but for me in terms of photography—with an alternate viewpoint—it was a major aha moment!” Between a childhood spent in his family’s pool and the new perspective on the summer staple, he knew he’d found his subject matter.
Ever since, Walls has grown an impressive following who are drawn to his keen eye and ability to capture pools, not from the deck, but from the sky. Using a drone camera, the aerial photographer is able to provide a wholly new perspective on aquatic architecture, and a new book from Rizolli, Pools From Above, collects the best of these shots. “Produced over a span of three years in four countries, Pools From Above is the culmination of my long journey to discover the beauty in commonplace landscapes seen from unexpected vantages,” Walls writes in the book’s intro. Below, AD talks with Walls about this voyage and surveys 17 of the most spectacular images from the volume.