In my early teens I found a box of Kodak slides in my mother's loft containing images of her teenage years in Ballinamore, County Leitrim, Ireland. There were of days out, birthdays, nights out and local events. I was fascinated with what I found. It was these images that nurtured my passion for documentary photography. It wasn't just the nostalgic settings of the 60s, but the amazing portraits of week-long, forgotten friendships made during first holidays. They conveyed real emotion. My passion for photography had begun, and I started to document my family and the events around me.