A Humpback Whale Descending – Under the Waves with Karim Iliya, June 2022

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A humpback whale descending into the depths while pursuing a female during a mating battle called a “heatrun” or “competition pod.” After spending hundreds of days documenting humpback whales, I’ve tried to find new ways to photograph them from a different perspective. Humpback whales are massive animals and can move very quickly, so anticipating where they are going while respecting their space can be difficult. I was already deep underwater, holding my breath and watching the whales pass by when I looked up and saw this one dive down towards me. Despite being in the middle of a battle, this whale was quite relaxed, his eye almost closed as he passed by.


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Karim was published in National Geographic magazine for his humpback whale photography. He now leads his own trips so that others can swim with whales.

If you are interested in swimming with or photographing humpback whales, Karim guides people on small trips between August and October every year in Tonga. Visit www.dancewithwhales.com to find out more

To see more of Karim’s work, visit his website at www.karimphotography.com

Karim headshot

This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media