Contact

Photographer

Martei Korley 

Martei Korley Photography

info@marteikorley.com  (646)530-5415 (NYC)

 

 

 

BIO MARTEI KORLEY 

Born in Denmark of Ghanaian / Danish heritage, Martei Korley is an international photographer, storyteller, musician and cultural ambassador. He was drawn to photography from an early age, understanding the power of  visual language and representation.  

Korley moved to Harlem, NY in the nineties. While learning the technical and commercial aspects of photography working in fashion, advertising and music; Korley emerged as one of reggae music’s foremost documentarians. He began splitting his time between Jamaica and New York , resulting in a vast archive of reggae culture and notable portraiture influenced by iconography and Afrofuturism.
A consummate storyteller, Korley has shot advertising for brands like PepsiCo, Gatorade and Coca-Cola and has directed commercials and music videos additionally.

As a photo/film Producer, he has provided international immersive turnkey solutions for brands including Hennessy and Red Bull. 

In 2009 Korley founded LargeUp.com: A platform for Caribbean and diaspora arts, music and culture – creating groundbreaking journalism, cultural events and partnerships. He serves as LargeUp’s creative director. 

Currently Korley has two book / exhibition projects in production: JAMAICA ’91, a wide ranging time capsule of images from the viewpoint of a someone coming of age in Jamaica. REWIND, a full scale retrospective work featuring the Jamaican recording industry. Images from “Rewind” have been featured in the Contact High ‘Visualizing Reggae’ exhibition at Sole DXB 2019, Dubai and ‘Kingston Konfidential’ at Benchmark PDX, Portland OR in 2025. Korley’s images are in several books and collections, including the permanent collection of The International African American Museum, Charleston, S.C.