Water Views: Aerial Photographs by David Ondaatje

Journey high above the world’s most unforgettable waterscapes via this stunning collection of aerial photographs by David Ondaatje.

Water Views is a breathtaking overview (literally) of the most striking bodies of water from around the world. Photographed with state-of-the-art drone technology by author and filmmaker David Ondaatje, these stunning aerial images range from the picturesque beaches of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Gaviota Beach to the wild coasts of Oregon, placid lakes from Tahoe to Como, the emerald waters of the Bahamas and Belize, the meandering fishing rivers of British Columbia and Montana.

Ever-present in this selection, some of which debuted in his recent exhibition at the acclaimed ROSEGALLERY in Los Angeles, is Ondaatje’s deep personal affection for solitude, the unspoiled beauty of the nature, coastal water patterns, and fly-fishing in isolated areas. Annotated with behind-the-scenes anecdotes, these photographs take you on a spectacular journey from above as you share Ondaatje’s unique first look at some of the most beautiful places in his world, all tied to the compelling and blissful power of water.

David Ondaatje was born and grew up in Canada. After graduating from Harvard College in Massachusetts and Cambridge University in England, he moved to California in 1987 where he has simultaneously pursued careers in business and the arts. For the past twenty-five years, he has been Chairman of the RL Winston Rod Company and has also been active as a filmmaker, writer, and photographer. His films have premiered at film festivals around the world including the Venice Biennale and his fly-fishing photography has been featured in print for many years. He was an early remote aerial photographer, enamored with the idea of capturing the beauty of familiar places differently than had been done previously using fixed-wing aircraft from higher elevations.

Long before taking the aerial photographs featured in Water Views, David Ondaatje experimented with newfound perspectives through his lens. Ondaatje creatively captured aerial views as a filmmaker, and as technology continually improved, it allowed Ondaatje to photograph from elevated heights with finer and higher resolution, resulting in these large-scale works. Ondaatje’s 2019 exhibition First Look at ROSEGALLERY in Los Angeles debuted his large-scale mounted prints of select aerial images.