Photo: 5./15 WEST / iStock Unreleased / Getty Images
After a chance encounter with a photographer on the streets of Belfast, 70-year-old Irish retiree Anne Flanagan has kicked off a new career as a model. When she was approached by a man carrying a camera earlier this year, she thought she’d just be giving directions to a tourist, but the man, Christopher Ward, asked her if he could take her picture to post on his Instagram page, Model Strangers.
Flanagan agreed to have Ward take her picture, which he posted online along with video of their interaction. The post quickly went viral, earning the septuagenarian widespread recognition and admiration from the public. The post also led to Flanagan being approached by a modeling agency, and she’s since taken part in a photo shoot for a local boutique and is set to model at a fashion show in the fall.
A mother of two with a background in career counseling and corporate services, Flanagan admits that she has always suffered from low self-esteem, a feeling many of her fans share. She’s thrilled with her new role and the positive impact it has had on her self-confidence. She enjoys representing older women and proving that there’s no age limit on starting something new and exciting.