Born and raised in the southwest of England, Kelly Doody now lives in Tywyn.

The professional photographer is enjoying the move to Wales, and has found inspiration for her work in the area.

A recent photography project called Aberystwyth 2023 has seen her taking trips over the Gwynedd border in to Ceredigion.

Commenting on her travels, Kelly said: “I hadn’t visited Wales for some time before having moved here. There were countless new places for me to explore.

“What I found was these beauty spots also come with a strong history behind them. One of my most recent projects I have been working on, Aberystwyth 2023 has opened up a new county.

“The first time I went to Aberystwyth with my camera I took a friend who is a local to Tywyn and visited Aberystwyth many times growing up.

“They not only showed me the beauty spots, but she also taught me some of the history and legends of each one.

“One of the many places we visited was the war memorial set in the grounds of the castle ruins on the promenade.

“This beautiful memorial is dedicated to those who fell in both the world wars. The inscriptions on the plaques are written in both Welsh and English.

“The photograph I took is facing onwards capturing the entirety of the memorial. I have placed it centre stage and I have showcased all of its beauty. Each level of the statue holds meaning and shares a message to everyone looking on how Wales has been effected and have been overcoming both the world wars.”

Kelly added: “From what I have learnt so far, Aberystwyth is a lot more than a beautiful seaside town. It is the home to the first university in Wales and a lot of Welsh culture and history can be found here. I was also taught the legend of Devils bridge when I visited. I look forward to exploring much more of Aberystwyth and Ceredigion itself.”

Kelly has a photography business based in Tywyn where she makes portraits for customers from their own photographs. “My most popular are my pet portraits,” Kelly explained.

One of Kelly’s favourite things to do in her spare time is to go to the beach with her family and their dogs.

“I am really enjoying exploring new places around mid and north Wales,” Kelly added.

“I have also recently joined the Aberystwyth camera club which I am really excited about.”

To see more of Kelly’s work, search online for ‘Kellydphotography Tywyn’.

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