Midnight, Bonaventure Cemetery
Date1993
Mediumgelatin silver print
DimensionsSight (Image): 17 7/8 × 12 1/4 inches (45.4 × 31.1 cm)
Framed: 24 × 22 inches (61 × 55.9 cm)
Credit LineGift of the artist.
Object number2002.2.1
Copyright© Jack Leigh Collection.
The images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextJack Leigh was one of Savannah’s most respected photographers, known for his books of photo essays documenting his native South. He studied at the University of Georgia, discovering his primary medium in a documentary photography course, and later learned from influential photographers George Tice and Eva Rubinstein. After traveling in Europe and living in Virginia, Leigh returned to Savannah in the 1970s. Here, he patiently recorded the lives of oystermen and other Southerners rarely seen in photographs.
In 1993, author John Berendt recommended Leigh to Random House to create the cover image for the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Leigh arranged to work in Bonaventure for two days, obtaining keys to the gate so that he could stay after hours. Leigh discovered Sylvia Shaw Judson’s bronze Bird Girl sculpture as the light was ebbing, and shot the image using a technique known as lens compression to make the sculpture appear more monumental. Afterward, he enlarged and manipulated the image in the darkroom, enhancing it with filters and using the method of “dodging” to lighten the area around the Bird Girl. This highly constructed image attests to Leigh’s craftsmanship using the tools of traditional photography. The book cover made Leigh internationally famous and enabled him to open the Jack Leigh Gallery. The book’s success also spawned a movie version, and Leigh became involved in a legal battle over promotional images for the film, which were similar to his Midnight image. Leigh passed away from cancer in 2004 at age 55 and is buried at Bonaventure beside his parents.Photographed inBonaventure Cemetery, 330 Bonaventure Road, Thunderbolt, Georgia, United States of America
