The Sacred Waters of Okefenokee Swamp

Hello, my name is Mark Albertin and I am an environmental filmmaker and photographer.

In 2021, I produced a film for the Okefenokee Protection Alliance ( a group of 40 environmental organizations) on the threat to the Okefenokee Swamp by a mining company called Twin Pines. The film was called: Sacred Waters - The Okefenokee in Peril, and we exposed the risks of mining for titanium dioxide just outside of the swamp's borders which could be very severe. Twin Pines plans to use upward of one million gallons of water per day in the mining process. This will lower the water table by tapping the aquifer and in turn, cause more wildfires in the swamp. Areas that were once covered in water will become dry and the ecosystem which is rich in flora and fauna will suffer greatly. Here is a link to the film: https://youtu.be/nibDPo96BHc?feature=shared

The Okefenokee is one of a kind. It is rare because of the sheer size and ability to sustain wildlife within a haven along the Eastern seaboard. The swamp is considered one of the seven natural wonders in Georgia and is a dark sky-designated area (dark enough and free of light pollution to see constellations and the Milky Way).

To put this at risk seems insane and it is.

The film I produced covered a lot of ground. I entered it in film festivals across the South and it won many awards. But, even so, the risk to the swamp is greater today than it was in the past. The Environmental Protection Division is reviewing drafts for Twin Pines to begin. We have to stop this from happening.

In the late 1930s, renowned landscape and nature photographer, Ansel Adams published a book entitled, Sierra Nevada: The John Muir Trail. He sent a copy to the office of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The book impressed Roosevelt and in 1940, Congress passed a bill making Kings Canyon (covered in the book), a National Park. I believe this method can be used to protect the Okefenokee.

I am not Ansel Adams. I can only strive to be as good as this photographic master. But, I am an accomplished film photographer and currently, my work is on display at The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia. Secondly, I have published a book with my photographs called, Along the Fall Line to rave reviews. Here are samples of the work I have created using black-and-white photography: https://www.albertinfilmphotography.com/portfolio

I recognize the ability of photography and words to help educate and inform the public. Good photographs can seep into the soul without the viewer realizing the effect. A book can be sent to legislators and those in the government. It is something that is not combative, after all, it is art. Yet, it can cause a yearning and love for the places covered.

The goal of this fundraiser is to raise money to create a 9x12 inch black-and-white photography book on the Okefenokee Swamp. The book will be around 120 pages in length and hardcover. It will feature large images of breathtaking landscapes showing the immense beauty of this place. It will contain descriptive stories that will take viewers into this place of wonder and capture their hearts in the process. Each photograph used will be made into a print in my darkroom. Some of the prints will be up to 20x24 inches in size and they will be displayed as a predecessor to the book in a show at CANDL Fine Art Gallery in November of 2024.

When the book is finished, 1000 copies will be printed and they will be sent to government officials across Georgia. I will conduct speaking engagements across the country where images will be displayed and books sold to raise money for the environmental groups trying to block Twin Pines from mining.

I cannot do this alone. In April and May of 2024, I will be traveling to the Okefenokee to begin the photographic process. I will be capturing many photographs of this majestic marvel in Georgia, but I need help in funding a book containing images from my journey.

Cost Breakdown (estimate):

$14,000 printing cost for 1,000 books

$4,000 materials

$3,000 travel, lodging and meals

$3,000 framing and finishing

Those who donate $100 or more will receive a signed copy of the finished book.

$500 or more: a signed copy of the book and an 8x10 black-and-white photograph of the Okefenokee created by hand in my darkroom.

$1000 or more: a signed copy of the book and an 11x14 black-and-white photograph of the Okefenokee created by hand in my darkroom.

$5000 or more: two signed copies of the book and a 20x24 framed black-and-white photograph of the Okefenokee created by hand in my darkroom.