OneVery often, we reduce our built environment to its functional and beautiful capabilities. But sometimes these spaces give us more than that – they allow us to tap into our memories, recall some of the memorabilia of the past. At least, that’s how photographer Brad Walls sees the pools. For Walls, “they can evoke the smell of [his] favorite food, or revive memories of [his] holidays.” So it’s fitting that the latest pick for Just Booked, our series of stunning new travel-related coffee table books, is his new book, swimming pool from above, published by Rizzoli.
Through 89 photos, Walls introduces us to pools from Australia, Bali, Mexico, Florida and Southern California. Some are painfully luxuries – the camera gaze here is sometimes sneaky, sometimes gawking. Other pools have floating stray leaves, and one has geometric tiles that make you blink a few times.
The book is light – less than 200 pages – but packs a travel punch. At a glance, it’s hard not to fantasize about a slick swimming pool that overlooks a beach on the Pacific Ocean.
