The Story Behind the Photograph #11
Taryn Barling
There are some places that seem to hold a special place in your memory, and Bray is one of those places for me. I was there on a sunny day at the beginning of June, that lovely time of year when summer is just getting started and the promise of long, warm days is in the air. This beautiful coastal town is only a short drive from Dublin, but it has an added significance for me because my maternal grandparents spent their honeymoon here.
A walk along the seafront in Bray wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Teddy’s Ice Cream. A much-loved, family-run business, Teddy’s has been part of the Bray landscape since the 1950s and has become something of a local institution. The colourful shop, the giant ice-cream cone and the familiar signs are all part of the experience – and if you’ve ever been there, you’ll know exactly what I mean!
On this particular day, I spotted this lovely gentleman enjoying his ice cream and, after plucking up the courage, asked if I could take his photograph. He reminded me so much of my paternal grandfather, who was also partial to an ice cream or two.
Thankfully, he kindly obliged and gave me that wonderful, slightly naughty schoolboy grin. And if you look closely, you’ll spot a tiny smudge of ice cream in his moustache. That little detail is probably my favourite part of the image.
I love that the photograph captures not just the man, but a little slice of Bray too. Teddy’s colourful shop, the giant cone, the seaside-town surroundings and, of course, a man happily enjoying his 99 on a summer’s day.
Most importantly, the image still makes me smile. Sometimes a photograph doesn’t need to be perfect or carefully staged; it just needs to convey a genuine moment and tell a little story. Hopefully, this one does just that.
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Taryn is a a visual artist working across photography and design, based in Dublin and has just completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Photographic Media at Griffith College, Dublin.
instagram @tarynbarling