If you haven't seen Brad Walls' breathtaking aerial shots of ballet dancers, stop what you're doing and look them up. I mean it. This isn't your typical dance photography—this is art from a whole new angle. Literally.
Walls, an Australian photographer, has taken the elegance of ballet and flipped it on its head by shooting from above. The result? A stunning collection of images that transform dancers into living, breathing patterns against often minimalistic backgrounds. It’s like geometry met grace, and they decided to throw a party.
What really gets me about these photos is how they strip away the usual distractions of dance photography—no elaborate stage sets, no dramatic lighting from the front, just pure form and flow. From a bird’s-eye view, the lines of a dancer’s body, the curve of an arch, and the symmetry of a partnered pose become something almost abstract. You’re not just watching ballet; you’re decoding it.
It’s also a reminder of how innovation can revitalize even the most classical of art forms. Ballet is centuries old, but through Walls' lens, it feels fresh, modern, and startlingly new. Dancers look like brushstrokes on a canvas, or pieces of moving architecture. You almost forget these are humans defying gravity until you notice the sheer athleticism frozen in each frame.
And can we talk about the composition? Walls uses negative space like a pro. The emptiness around the dancers doesn’t feel empty—it feels intentional, almost sacred. It forces you to focus entirely on the movement, the emotion, and the unbelievable control these artists have over their bodies.
In a world where dance is often consumed through shaky phone videos or crowded stage recordings, Walls gives us a pause. A moment of quiet beauty. A new perspective—both literally and metaphorically—on an art we thought we knew.
This is why I love it when photographers cross boundaries. They don’t just capture what’s there; they help us see what’s possible.
So, if you need a little inspiration today, do yourself a favor and dive into his work. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes, to see the beauty in something familiar, you just need to change your point of view.
