PETRA LEARY

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Petra Leary

Author: Nat Twiss

Photographer: Petra Leary

An early adopter of birds-eye-view photography takes us through her distinct style.

“My photos have to be straight, and any lines or structures in the images, I have to have them perfectly angled and aligned, or it will ruin the image for me. Originally I was studying graphic design and I think that obsession shows in my images”, explains New Zealand photographer and artist Petra Leary.

Leary is fast-becoming a leading figure in the tidal wave of aerial photographers that are currently dominating Instagram feeds all over the world, although to describe and view Leary's work in just that medium would be a disservice. Her precisely composed aerial images and a growing collection of mind-bending video and collage works are now being presented in galleries all over the world both as print images and in large-scale projections.

Taking inspiration from video games and her background in design, and a pre-drone era obsession with capturing all things from upon high has given her work an edge that few could replicate. The images - which often present seemingly impossible views of sports pitches and basketball courts - are bold and vibrant, and are remixed into Escher-inspired collages that elevate a humble scene into pop art.

“Drone photography tends to have a somewhat similar look to older, top-down video games," Leary explains. "The birds-eye perspective and boxy pixel elements you find in old PlayStation games are what I find a lot of my work looks like. Like a more refined Grand Theft Auto or Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game.

"The birds-eye perspective and boxy pixel elements you find in old PlayStation games are what I find a lot of my work looks like. Like a more refined Grand Theft Auto or Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game."

Before I had a drone, I was into taking photos from rooftops, but you're always constrained to a certain perspective. As soon as I had my drone, shooting at that vertical perspective was all I really thought about. Everyday objects become these amazingly abstract patterns and shapes from above. It's totally unconstrained.”