Photography on the tennis or basketball court is full of leaps, lunges and fast-paced action shots. Take away the players, though, and you'll find a much more peaceful setting, often framed by colour-drenched construction and a geometric dreaminess.

Ward Roberts spent four years snapping sporting courts and fields across the globe, so we got in touch to talk about his art.

What is your name and how old are you? Ward Roberts, 26.

Where were you born and where do you live now? Born in Adelaide and just moved to New York.

How does where you grew up and where you live now affect your photography? My younger years were spent growing up in Hong Kong - its colour and repetition within the cityscape has impacted heavily on my style. NY is obviously an inspiring city, however it feels like it's more of a challenge to create something unique in a city that's full of amazing talent.

What areas, things or people in your neighbourhood do you most like to photograph? Recently I strolled through the Hasidic Jews' district in Brooklyn and found myself being fascinated by the diverse and unique faces this group has. Despite my interest in wanting to take portraits of the characters within this community, I know the cultural differences would not allow for this. The contradictions that life offers is also something that has recently grabbed my attention.

What do you shoot on (digital or analogue) and why do you choose to use that type? There are many reasons why I choose to shoot only analogue. Film blends the tones subtly together and there is far better latitude then when shooting digital. To me, digital photographs look and feel souless and are hard to connect with emotionally.

Is there a certain camera or type of film that you wish you could own? It would be fantastic to shoot 8x10 or even 20x24 using Kodak Portra NC & VC.

Is there a running theme to the work you create, or do you just make whatever comes to mind? I don't see a coherent theme that moves across the whole body of work. Perhaps there are elements that present themselves more then once within different series... for example the sense of isolation has appeared in a few different series.

What kinds of ideas and things are you working on at the moment? There are a number of different series I've been working on, around five in total. Two of them have recently been finished and will be released later this year. Some of these series involve exploring other mediums as well as a few possible collaborations.

What kind of subjects interest you the most? It changes all the time. Recently I've been focusing more on figures. Colour and shapes tends to be a reoccurring theme throughout most series.

Do you prefer to create set-up photographs, or just wander the streets until you see a photo? Some are set up in a controlled environment. Often when I'm photographing landscapes/architecture I'll clean up and remove any rubbish that has been left. I tend to want as much control of my environment as possible. However, I also don't like to take full control and let it fold organically.

If you were to teach a photography appreciation class, what kind of lessons would you try to teach your students? Not to be bound by the predictability of what a camera is created to do. If you don't know the rules of a camera, then perhaps that could be taken advantage of.

What are some of the challenges that you are facing in modern times as a photographer? Over saturation of photographs in an already highly competitive industry. Shooting film exclusively could be a problem in the future as digital becomes more favourable. I worry film will become extinct.

What is the strangest thing or thought that has inspired a photo? A film titled Salo, 120 days of Sodom, inspired an idea for a possible concept.

What do you enjoy doing when not taking photos? I'm a man of simple pleasures, I check out new gallery shows whenever I can to keep up-to-date. Spending time with good company and at times I also enjoy having sex.

Where can we see more of your work?
instagram – wardrobs
wardrobertsphoto.com