Ward Robert's captures the energy of sports courts

Photographer Ward Roberts has spent the last two years capturing the sports courts of the world

(Image credit: Ward Roberts)

Brooklyn-based photographer Ward Roberts has revealed his latest project – his second book, entitled Courts 02. The book, with whimsical and poetic photos of sports courts, was shot on location in Hong Kong, Brooklyn, Bermuda, Melbourne and Hawaii over a two-year period.

'I’m very visually driven. I’m drawn to colours. I like my work to have a conceptual dimension to it, but I really want it to be visually interesting as well,' explains Roberts. 'I want to make images that are beautiful to look at, so I try to be mindful of everything, to consider how the different aspects of the image communicate with each other.'

In addition to the 76-page book (complete with foreword by Village Voice and Art Forum critic Jennifer Krasinski), a limited-edition trio of posters is scheduled to launch in mid-June, to coincide with the US Open. 'I wanted the series to bring up a certain nostalgia for childhood and for playing sports with your friends,' he says. 'I felt so much excitement in these locations; I wanted other people to feel that too.'

Asking the photographer why he decided to choose courts as his subject, he said: 'I feel an innate energy in this space. I don’t know what it is, I don’t know why I’m drawn to it, but I know that I had to do something with it.'

Centre of basketball court — The whimsical and poetic photos were shot on location in Hong Kong, Brooklyn, Bermuda, Melbourne and Hawaii

Pictured: the cover of Courts 02 — Roberts explains, ’I’m very visually driven. I’m drawn to colours. I like my work to have a conceptual dimension to it, but I really want it to be visually interesting as well.’ Pictured: the cover of *Courts 02*

Badminton court — He continues, ’I want to make images that are beautiful to look at, so I try to be mindful of everything, to consider how the different aspects of the image communicate with each other’

Sports court — The 76-page book is complete with a foreword by *Village Voice* and *Art Forum* critic Jennifer Krasinski

Badminton court with seating — Roberts explains, ’I wanted the series to bring up a certain nostalgia for childhood and for playing sports with your friends. I felt so much excitement in these locations; I wanted other people to feel that too’

Football goal — On how he decided to choose courts as his subject, the artist mused: ’ I don’t know what it is, I don’t know why I’m drawn to it, but I know that I had to do something with it’

INFORMATION

For more information, visit Ward Roberts’ website

Photography: Ward Roberts

Daniel Scheffler is a storyteller for The New York Times and others. He has a travel podcast with iHeart Media called Everywhere and a Substack newsletter, Withoutmaps, where he shares all his wild ways. He lives in New York with his husband and their pup.