The Everglades: Beneath the Surface Follows A Photographer’s Journey Capturing the Perfect Shot

February 9, 2026

Hidden in plain sight, one of the world’s most extraordinary natural spectacles unfolds each year along Florida’s coast. The Everglades: Beneath the Surface, an award-winning documentary by The Everglades Foundation, invites viewers to experience this wonder through the lens of National Geographic Explorer, photographer and Foundation Board Member Mac Stone. 

The 6-minute documentary follows Stone as he traverses America’s Everglades by helicopter, boat, and on foot, capturing the landscapes, wildlife, and waterways at the heart of Florida. Offering an intimate look into his lifelong connection to the ecosystem, the documentary highlights some of Stone’s most iconic photographs of Everglades wildlife and the diverse Everglades habitats that they depend on.  

From ancient cypress trees all the way to Florida Bay, the film reveals how the Everglades watershed connects freshwater flows to a Florida coast where millions of fish migrate each year. Beneath the water’s surface, Stone brings viewers into the center of one of the largest animal migrations on Earth: the annual mullet run. This critical event fuels a dynamic web of predators and prey, with fleeting interactions that made for one of the most challenging images of Stone’s career. 

“We can only truly care for what we know. And the truth is, most people don’t know the Everglades.” – Mac Stone, The Everglades: Beneath the Surface 

With the hope of connecting more people to the Everglades ecosystem, Stone shares the unique beauty of America’s Everglades, emphasizing the importance of restoring and protecting this natural treasure for generations to come.  

So far, The Everglades: Beneath the Surface has earned a 2025 Regional Suncoast Emmy® Award and has been included as an official selection of the Coronado Film Festival in California and the Key Biscayne Film Festival, underscoring its powerful storytelling and visual impact. 

Want to learn more?  

You’re in the right place. For more than 30 years, The Everglades Foundation has been the premier organization fighting to restore and protect the precious Everglades ecosystem through science, advocacy, and education.  

Join the movement to restore and protect the global treasure that is America’s Everglades. Sign up to learn more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). Give a gift of any amount you can to support our mission at EvergladesFoundation.org/Donate.