Karim Iliya

About Karim

Karim Iliya is a photographer, filmmaker, and whale swimming guide based in Iceland and Hawaii.

In 2022, he was selected as crew on the dear Moon mission, the first planned civilian space flight around the moon.

In 2023, he co-founded Kogia, a non-profit free media library and film team dedicated to ocean conservation.

Karim grew up in the Middle East and Asia and developed a curiosity for the natural world, which has taken him into the midst of exploding volcanoes, battling whales, ice worlds of the Arctic, and many of the fascinating places where humans and animals make their homes.

Through his photography and films, Karim takes his audiences to hidden underwater worlds. He is documenting all these natural places in an effort to protect our delicate ecosystems on Earth.

Throughout his life, Karim has been fascinated by the hidden mysteries in our universe, from the smallest creatures and the deepest seas to the great vastness of space.

Karim has worked in over 45 countries and won multiple international awards for his photography work.