Jack Leigh

Jack Leigh is one of my all time favorite photographers. His body of work captures the coastal waters of South Carolina and Georgia better than any photographer I have seen. Pat Conroy's words are a perfect match for his photographs. 

Leigh has so many great books, it's hard to choose a favorite. If I had to narrow it down I would pick Oystering: A Way of Life, Nets and Doors: Shrimping in Southern Waters, and his retrospective, The Land I'm Bound To.

I am lucky enough to own this piece and look at it everyday! 

Several years ago M bought a couple prints for me and I could not be more grateful.

This photo reminds me of the my hometown and the oystermen who help maintain our waters. 

His books are full of glorious images but his most notable piece is on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. If you haven't been to Bonaventure Cemetery you should definitely make the trip. The cemetery is in Savannah on the Wilmington River and is incredibly peaceful. The great songwriter Johnny Mercer was laid to rest here.

Jack Leigh passed away in 2004 after a battle with colon cancer. He left the world a better place as he documented the South in a way that will preserve our salt marshes and barrier islands long after they're gone. 

Shrimp Season Starts Today

Shrimp Baiting season starts at high noon today. It's a complicated process but it ends with a plate full of these little guys! M has been going with his father and every season for the last 15+ years. They might as well be professionals. 

One person drives the boat while the other stands on the bow to cast the net.

Check out the diagram below. This is what the Department of Natural Resources prints in their guide to show people the rules. Looks Confusing huh? Well, to make it more difficult you do this all in the dark. Last year I went with them and I was in charge of the flashlight. The season is only 60 days long, but I would suggest going more in the beginning of the season. Water splashing and the wind on your face is pretty chilly in early November. The whole thing gives me flashbacks to episodes of the deadliest catch. A little dramatic, I know.

I will spend most nights of the shrimping season catching up on Grey's Anatomy while drinking a glass of wine. If it gets cold, I'll start a fire the wood burning stove. When M gets home with his catch I will head the shrimp and saute a couple for a late night snack. It's my part of the agreement because I am not as good on the boat as his dad. I want to help but I don't make the cut on the two man boat.

If you aren't able to go shrimping this year you should definitely flip through Nets and Doors by Jack Leigh. He was such an amazing photographer! In this book he perfectly captures the harsh beauty of commercial shrimping. 

Transfer of Grace

Transfer of Grace  is one of my favorite books of images from the Lowcountry. More moving than the photos are the words that accompany them.  The book speaks of this area and how it has been passed onto us. The land is shared with people, animals and weather. This area is ever changing... we should sit back and enjoy the area whenever possible.

My favorite quote from the book is: "The Lowcountry used to be a slow country. Its uniqueness depended on a certian pace, a lilt to life. Dogs could nap on dirt roads; grits weren't instant; conversations weren't measured in cell phone minutes. Killing time was never wasting time."