Photograph of an elderly man taken by Laura Burke at the Love Seat on the Promenade in Lahinch, Co Clare on Wednesday 25th May 2016. The following details the story behind the shot. My apologies for the length of the caption. I asked the gentleman's permission to take his photograph and he agreed.

Long Story
?Can I take your photograph? says I. ?You can? says he. I told him it was a grand day and he looked like he was waiting for love. ?Not with me!? exploded the young male parking attendant. ?What?s it for? asked my muse. ?It?s for myself. I?m hoping to go to photography school.? It was hard not to miss the disappointment on his face when he learned that he wasn?t going to appear on the national news or even in the weekly county paper. So he went on to entertain me with a story. ?D?y know Willie Daly? The Matchmaker?? ?I do.? ?Well a lady was coming over from Texas. America like. And Willie asked my neighbour if he?d bring her out. So he said he would. Can you believe that he?s in Texas NOW? They?re in their 70s! I told him that the American heat in Texas would kill him, but he said he loves it out there. In his 70s. Maybe I am looking for love.?

I came home, loved his shot and decided to upload it today. The letter from the college with the results from Monday?s interview still lay unopened on the mantelpiece where I?d put it this morning. I didn?t want to open it. I thought the envelope was thin and insubstantial for an acceptance letter. Don?t they usually contain leaflets, payment details and such like? My husband opened it for me and it turned out I was wrong (nothing new there then)! I am going to photography school!