Joakim Hjelm has been diving in Hawaii since 1998 and started exploring underwater photography and videography in 2000 with a borrowed underwater camera. Taking photos and videos quickly became his driving force for diving. To him, it almost feels pointless to dive unless a camera comes along to capture and share the underwater realm.
Joakim especially enjoys wreck and cave photography but also takes pleasure in capturing the magic of marine life. Having travelled to numerous locations such as Truk Lagoon, Fiji, Belize, Mexico, Philippines, and Bahamas, he has been able to develop his own style of photography.
Joakim has worked as a photographer for Hilo Hattie, in addition, he worked as the underwater technical advisor for Hawaii 5-0 for one of their episodes, participated in a commercial shoot for Atlantis submarines, and had video footage published by PBS in The Flintlock Disaster, a documentary about a lost squadron of Corsair fighter planes.
He received first prize in the 2011 Halcyon Photo Contest, had several photos selected for the 2013, 2014 and 2016 Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) annual calendar, and also won the 2013 Photo of the Year Award from that same organization.
Currently Joakim lives in Victoria, BC, Canada with his wife Julie.
Publications
Marine Conservation Institute - Monk Seal report February 2015
Quest Magazine - Volume 15, Number 3 cover 2014
Alert Diver Magazine - Ghost Fishing 2014
Underwater Video contributor for The Flintlock Disaster 2012
Contributions
Performance Freediving International - Banner for DEMA trade show 2014
GUE Photo of the year 2013
Photos selected for GUE calendar 2013, 2014, 2016
Winner Halcyon photo competition 2012
About the diver
Even before moving to Hawaii Joakim knew he would get into diving, and 2 weeks into arriving to the paradise islands was he done with his PADI Open water certification. From there on it just kept bubbling, but things started getting interesting when he was introduced to GUE and took the Fundamentals class in 2001. Joakim then moved on to taking cave training in Mexico and trimix technical diving in Hawaii, both through GUE.
Taking these classes completely changed the way he dived and he started incorporating GUE principles in his day to day life as a PADI divemaster and later instructor in 2003. It was truly rewarding to teach and see divers get comfortable in the water, but he knew that to really be able to train divers to the quality he wanted he would have to persue GUE instructor training.
Becoming an instructor for GUE was the most challenging Joakim had ever done, besides graduating with a marine biology degree at Hawaii Pacific University of course, and since 2011 he has trained GUE divers on several continents.
Now living in Victoria, BC, Canada he gets to enjoy the wonders of cold water and the challenges this entail. He is an active participant in GUE-BC, the local GUE group in the province, and continues to train divers to realize their best potential underwater and to continue building the community in the Pacific Northwest.
Community Involvement
Hawaii Underwater Explorers (HUE) - President 2011-2014
Created Oahu’s only GUE affiliate
Increase SCUBA divers’ skills and awareness through rigorous training
Explore unknown sites with challenging logistics and gas management beyond recreational limits
Increase awareness of the general population regarding coral reef health
Project Baseline - Site Manager 2012-present
Launched the first Project Baseline sites in Hawaii Kai, HI, USA
Involved in setting up new PB sites in Saanich Inlet and Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Initiated location specific photography to monitor ocean health over time
Hawaii Technical Divers (HATED) - President 2004-2011
Initiated Oahu’s first technical diving organization utilizing trimix and oxygen decompression
Search for and explore multiple new dive sites around Oahu’s coastline
Mexico Cave Exploration Project (MCEP) - 2011, 2012, 2013
Participated in collecting sediment samples, survey cave passages and photo and video documentation in Cenote Yax Chen, Q-Roo, Yucatan, Mexico.
San Diego Underwater Explorers (SDUE)
Organized several GUE DEMO days to increase awareness
Diving Certifications
Global Underwater Explorers (GUE)
Instructor Ratings: Fundamentals, DPV 1, Documentation, Recreational 1, Gasblender, Drysuit, Doubles
Diver Ratings: Cave 2, Tech 2
Technical Divers International (TDI)
Instructor Ratings: Advanced nitrox, Decompression procedures, Trimix, Advanced trimix, Advanced wreck, Intro to tech, Nitrox gas blender, Advanced gas blender
Outstanding Instructor Award 2012
Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)
Master Scuba Diver Trainer
Specialties: Underwater navigation, Digital underwater photography, Wreck, DPV, Boat, Cavern, Night, Enriched air, Deep, Underwater video, Drift
