Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean, 2022, KI

Finalist Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean

Karim Iliya Hawaii

20°55'59.2"N 156°21'31.0"W

A surfer paddles out through the white water in Hawaii. "When a wave breaks it creates a mixture of air and water that is dynamic and constantly changing," says photographer Karim Iliya. "From above it can look calm and beautiful, but beneath the surface there is chaos as plumes of air push down towards the reef like angry thunder clouds. When you are inside the white water, it looks like an avalanche passing over you, with bubbles and foam everywhere. Eventually the energy dissipates and the water changes from a sea of white to the blues of the ocean."

BEHIND THE LENS

Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean, 2022, KI

Karim Iliya United States (US)

ABOUT THE IMAGE

Sunny, windless day
Late afternoon
Big winter swell
Coastal access

Karim Iliya is a photographer, filmmaker, and whale swimming guide based in Iceland and Hawaii. He is the co-founder of Kogia, a non-profit media initiative dedicated to marine conservation. Raised in the Middle East and Asia, Karim’s passion for nature has taken him from volcanic eruptions to Arctic ice and underwater encounters with whales. His work focuses on threatened animals and fragile ecosystems, using visual storytelling to inspire protection of the natural world. Karim has worked in over 45 countries, won multiple awards, and been featured in National Geographic Magazine and BBC Earth for his humpback whale photography and films.