daylight sluggery
drama unfolding in the dirt. the good, bad & the slimy.
The slug, slimy and loathed, yet fascinating in its own way.
Daylight Sluggery' is my attempt to pay a debt that I can never repay. I can hear people saying, ‘Eh! What!’ from where I’m sitting writing this. Please bear with me, and hopefully, everything will become clear.
At the beginning of 2019, I was struck down with a neurological condition and left confined to a wheelchair. I was told that I would never walk again and that this would be my life. There was no way that I could or would accept that.
Whilst sitting in the kitchen one day, I spotted the guy at the top of the page and became fascinated by what he was up to. My camera was next to me. Instinctively I grabbed it and started taking photos, but I was too far away; I had to get closer.
Easing myself out of my wheelchair, or rather dumping myself on the floor, I should say there wasn’t the slightest element of care for me, only ‘Nik’. Shuffling out on my arse, I got as close as I could to Sluggy and discovered what he was up to, as the following images will show.
After getting the shots I wanted, I had the problem of getting back into the house. I was unable to walk and was on my own. I literally dragged myself up the concrete steps and through the kitchen door. I did my best imitation of a slug, dragging myself to my desk and getting into my chair.
Turning point
Looking back at these images, they represent more than just macro photography. They are a testament to finding perspective in the smallest things, even when your own world feels incredibly limited. I hope that as you look through these, you see something of the beauty I found on that concrete floor—a reminder that we are all just navigating our own path, however slowly we have to move to get there.
See more of my documentary work here.