In 2016, Australian photographer Brad Walls bought his first consumer drone out of sheer curiosity. What started as an experiment quickly turned into a discovery: the drone’s perspective offered him something entirely new. That moment became the spark for his career in aerial photography, a medium he’s now mastered over nearly a decade.
Walls has since built a name for capturing athletes and performers from above in ways that transform motion into art. He’s photographed synchronized swimmers forming circles, gymnasts arranged like snowflakes, and tennis players frozen mid-action. Each project highlights precision, shape, and timing. Now, with his latest series Passé, Walls turns his lens to the world of ballet.
Set against bold red backdrops, Passé stages ballerinas in unexpected, graphic compositions. One striking photograph resembles a spine, with dancers’ legs extending to mimic vertebrae. Another takes inspiration from the golden ratio, while a spiral arrangement turns the group into a moving sculpture. True to Walls’ signature style, every detail is intentional, blurring the line between performance and visual design.
“Ballet and aerial photography share a natural affinity,” Walls explains. “Both are about precision, form, and repetition. What interested me was showing dancers not as individuals but as sculptural forms within a larger composition.”
The choice of red was no accident either. “Red is loaded with symbolism—power, passion, danger, performance,” Walls says. “For me, it was about creating an immersive environment that made ballet feel urgent and contemporary.”
With Passé, Brad Walls proves once again that aerial photography isn’t just about perspective—it’s about reimagining how we see art, movement, and human expression from above.
