NANCY SLUGA - IT ALL BEGAN WITH AN INSTAMATIC

Nancy has been taking photos ever since her father took her to Foto Supplies in Albury as a teenager and bought her a Kodak Instamatic. She remembers receiving  that camera and understanding the potential she held in her hands. 

Years later, Nancy realised that potential with formal photography studies at TAFE, Charles Sturt University and RMIT.  

Her training in black and white darkroom photography led to a love of its simple power. Her darkroom is now ‘digital’, but her processes are the  same - it’s about shadows, highlights, midtones and colour balance. 

Her photography practice has been smouldering for years, beneath the roles of mother, 9 to 5 work and supporting husband Charles with his  practice and the gallery. That practice has been re-ignited as those other  roles reduce - the children and husband are mostly ‘adults’ now! 

Nancy loves nature, in particular birds, trees and clouds; and she can lose hours observing them. When a magpie sings to her, life is paused!  

Travel photography is her other passion, and she finds bliss venturing out with her  camera. She seeks solitude when capturing her images and likes to absorb a location  over repeated visits. This is how details reveal themselves, like an awakening. 

Nancy’s camera is just a tool. Her main equipment is her eyes and she would rather talk  about inspiration than camera gear. 

Nancy loves humour and getting lost in a good novel. She enjoys good food (especially if someone else is cooking) and music on piano can make her weep.  

She starts her days outside with a brew of real French Earl Grey tea. She takes time to meditate and observes the early morning to the soundtrack of birdsong.  

Passionate people inspire Nancy and she dislikes anything fake. She cares deeply about the creatures and the health of our planet. 

Her photography has toured Regional Victorian galleries and she has received  Silver Awards for her images from the Australian Institute of Professional Photography.