Urban Koi, an internationally acclaimed creative director and photographer, remembers the first time she flew an airplane solo and felt the thrill of the plane’s wheels leaving the ground. “It was a childhood dream that became reality,” she recalls. “I was accelerating and controlling the plane, feeling the nose lift off the runway. I held my breath for a brief second and was overcome with deep emotions as the plane became fully suspended in the air. I was flying—guiding the plane into the sky as Pilot in Command. It was breathtaking and surreal—floating in the span of time between Earth and space. It truly humbles you to see just how small we are in the universe.”
With a story like this, it will not surprise you to learn that Koi is known for her curiosity and sense of adventure. “I have always been passionate about learning and cultivating new experiences,” she says. “I am greatly inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, who was a Renaissance polymath and not only dabbled in art, but also a myriad of subjects like anatomy, astronomy, and engineering. I am also highly influenced by Dr. Mae C. Jemison, who is an engineer, physician, and the first female African-American NASA astronaut to travel in space. They are brilliant paradigms that you can accomplish anything your heart desires as long as you strive forward with genuine passion and unrelenting resilience.”
Koi has explored Earth, including its forests, tundras, cities, and oceans. Her best friend on each trip, she reveals, is her camera, which accompanies her everywhere. “Photography is my catharsis. I see the hidden magic of the planet, and I am spellbound even by the most minute details that are often overlooked. There is beauty all around us, even in the ordinary. I find peace in capturing the rare quiet moments in cosmopolitan cities, ethereal glaciers, mystical sea life, and our enchanting Moon,” she says.
Koi was scuba diving 70 feet below in the ocean in a tropical region last year, and she stopped swimming just to gaze at an alienesque creature. “This small—yet incredibly intelligent and playful—octopus performed a majestic dance as it floated toward me. I made sure to respect its space and just marveled at the alien-like creature. It was magical.”
Koi, as you can tell, is passionate about seeing the world and capturing it on film. A gifted photographer, she is known for directing and creating visual stories that interlace the realms of health, travel, and space through a unique artistic lens rooted in her philosophy of life-long learning and discovery.
“Guided by the mysteries of the universe, I seek to illuminate the hidden magic and capture intricate details that celebrate the extraordinary diversity on Earth and beyond,” Koi says. “I have been mesmerized by photography ever since I was four years old when I dissected a vintage film camera. I was so curious that I opened it up to unmask its anatomy. To a child, it was like a puzzle to decode.
Koi is completely self-taught. As she grew older, she learned more about the intricacies of light, including how it traveled through lenses, reflected off mirrors, and exposed the light-sensitive emulsion in photography. “The more I experimented with the camera, the more I became captivated by the infinite art I could create. I became a photographer to forever immortalize the beauty of our fascinating world.”
The age of Tumblr and Instagram brought opportunities for Koi to share her photography on a wider scale, and she eventually cultivated an international audience of 250K+ that was drawn to her signature style of visual storytelling and to her blend of art and science. “Being able to connect with other people who appreciate the wonders of our world led to dream opportunities,” she explains. “World-renowned brands contacted me to direct and photograph special creative campaigns with my unique lens.”
Koi’s skills were noticed by NASA, who selected her as an independent photographer to document and bring awareness to the space exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
“It was an incredible honor—a dream come true,” she says. “I was granted clearance to go behind the scenes at NASA’s rocket factory to photograph the engineering process of the Space Launch System, Orion Spacecraft, Pegasus, and Vertical Assembly Center. I have always had a passion for space, so to be at NASA and document the assembly of such brilliant space technology right before my eyes in real time was an experience of a lifetime.”
Her curiosity extends to education, as Koi is pursuing her Master of Science in Space Systems Engineering and Doctor of Aerospace Medicine. “I am on a journey to become an astronaut and see where it takes me,” she confirms. “I am driven to learn more about what exists beyond our planet and the future of humanity. My journey is long and arduous. However, I have great determination to be a leader in the healthcare and space industries.”
Until the day Koi leaves Earth and rockets into outer space, she will continue to explore the planet as a modern-day Renaissance woman. “I aim to explore the mysteries on all seven continents,” she says. “More than 80% of the ocean has never been mapped. Can you imagine the secrets that still await us? My personal philosophy, to be a Student of the Universe®, is a humbling reminder that the universe is our teacher. We should always be wide-eyed and curious. The universe is boundless with discoveries waiting to be uncovered that will expand our intellect and transcend the future of humanity.”
Urban Koi is an internationally acclaimed creative director and photographer whose photos of the curiosities of the oceans, our world, and the universe have captivated thousands on Instagram. As a co-leader on the Board of Creatives of 100cameras, she works to empower youth across the world who have had challenging experiences and to teach them to become change-makers through photography. Koi is the creative director and designer of “A Worldwide Lens: Perspectives from Youth,” the first-ever worldwide photobook from 100cameras, uplifting programs in 28 communities around the globe.
For more of Koi’s photography and journey as a future astronaut, please visit:
Website: https://urbankoi.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbanxkoi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/urbanxkoi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urbankoi
