Telling a Story
KHop Shoots
By Martín Fernández
As I began planning this first issue of the Mid-Atlantic Journal there was one person I really wanted to profile, Korey Hopkins.
Over the last couple of years Korey has been making a name for himself in cycling circles in our region for the quality of the freelance visual work he has been producing, highlighting not only Mid-Atlantic trails but the people and events that are a part of them. I was happy when he responded in the affirmative to my request for a quick interview with him, so that others would have a chance to meet him and learn more about his work.
I had heard of and interacted with Korey multiple times over email and social media, and personally met him for the first time during a photo shoot at the trail system I manage, Locust Shade. Korey was working on a promotional piece for the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE), and had coordinated several riders to come out to shoot some video and stills for the project at Locust Shade. Since I have a photo background myself, I asked him if it was OK for me to tag along and snap some frames of my own; it had been a while since I had been on a shoot, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to dust off my camera.
Korey has been making a name for himself in cycling circles in our region for the quality of the freelance visual work
Watching him work, his interaction with the riders and how he set up his shots, brought back a lot of memories of my days behind the lens. It also reminded me of all the skills, beyond the technical, needed to be a successful visual artist.
Korey hails from Norfolk, VA. His parents were in the military and ended up in the DMV after years of service. He has called Maryland his home since he was age five. It’s then that he began his affair with photography, albeit he wouldn’t know it until later in life.
“My parents used to work the Andrews Air Show in the early 90’s and would give me some disposable cameras,” he told me. “It was a way to keep me occupied while they worked.” That first informal “exposure” to photography would lay the foundation for his work later in life. While he never took any photography classes in high school, he plugged away at his craft. Though, it wasn’t until studying engineering at the University of Maryland, that he bought his first DSLR with the earnings from his first engineering internship.
That camera hooked him. “I binged on internet forums and books and took the camera to New York City to shoot. I really didn't have a solid grasp of exposure, composition, post processing, etc. but I was hooked.”
The immersion in cycling afforded him the opportunity to travel, and it would not be long before the two things he loved merged together. His photography skills began to help him visually document his trips. “I shoot the environment I’m in,” he told me. “Then I shoot some faces and details from a ride, like that broken derailleur being fixed on the side of the trail. Maybe some things beyond cycling. I just try to tell a story people can relate to.”
“I just try to tell a story people can relate to…”
That grasp and method is what’s helping him make an impact. His images truly transport the viewer; fueling our imagination on what it must have been like to be there.
Korey has taken his love of photography and cycling and is now channeling it into other mediums. He’s recently started to fly drones ,and begun mastering the art of First Person View (FPV) video. The medium has a whole technical side to it that has helped “scratch his engineering itch.” Plus, “it’s fun” he told me. “You get a wild rush of freedom when you put on the goggles and get immersed into aerials that you could only dream about before… FPV also allows me to shape the stories I tell and convey various moods,” he said. “Fly mellow to help put the viewer in a state of zen; or fly aggressively to deliver a sense of action.”
Experimenting in these mediums has also helped charge his creativity.
His images truly transport the viewer; fueling our imagination on what it must have been like to be there.
Experimenting in these mediums has also helped charge his creativity. Beyond his work for hire, Korey is also planning several personal projects, and has been scouting locations for his next FPV adventure. On the “Still” side he’s working on a “gravity biking” project. “I really enjoy riding gravity trails, and most of the ideas I have are based on that.” His project aims to build on, and share the experience he’s gained on the trail. “I’m really passionate about this project and want to line up the right people that can help execute my vision.”
For those that are considering photography as a career path, Korey has some of the same advice that most photographers will give you: “just shoot, and shoot a lot. And when you think you have shot a lot, go shoot some more. There is no replacement for shooting to learn.” He also says, “don’t be afraid to try things out. We learn from mistakes, just do it.” Oh, and if you “really” want to do this professionally, he adds “ don’t forget the business side of things, take a class!”
When not on assignment, chances are you’ll see Korey out at the Frederick Watershed, scouting out a location for his next photo shoot.
To learn more about Korey and his work, visit KHOP SHOOTS.
All photos © Korey Hopkins