Sports Spotlight . . . from PEMBROKESHIRE SPORT

Matthew Kelly is best known in local sport as a very strong and direct scrum half with Haverfordwest RFC but since he decided to hang up his boots a couple of seasons ago he has quickly earned another sporting reputation as an excellent  photographer who specialises in close-range action shots which really capture the spirit of sport.

Not only that, but Matthew is a dab hand at portrait photographs as special presents, or taking the photos at weddings where his eye for detail, and excellent organisational skills ensure a successful outcome.

Following in father’s footsteps

When Matthew took up photography it was because his father Lawrence, the well-known former Haverfordwest RFC forward, had already been involved taking snaps at a few weddings and had roped in Matthew to help out about four years ago. Matthew decided he could do the job well and since then has been involved in a number of ‘big days’ and had very satisfied customers.

But it is his photographs with sport that Matthew derives most pleasure from, having taken loads of them at rugby, football, cricket, tennis (the county finals) cycling and triathlon, plus some great pics at the ‘Iron Man’ competition which started in Tenby.

Ask him where he would like to try his talents next and he would admit,

            “I would really like to photograph some boxing and motor sport, as well as some of the more off-beat sports that take place around our county, especially around the coast-line.”

Sporting all-rounder

That Matthew should choose sport as his subject for photography is perhaps only natural because he was involved in rugby from his first year at STP School where he was roped in as a scrum half, a position he held until he retired two seasons ago. He played throughout school and with Haverfordwest Youth, as well as playing for Pembrokeshire at under 15s and captain the county at under 17, 18 and 19 levels, as well as playing in the same West Wales team as Gwyn Jones, who went on to captain Wales at senior level.

He played for UWIC during his college days and for North Walsham when he taught for two years in Norfolk before he returned to teach in Pembrokeshire in 1997 – and played for the Blues for a decade. He also played American Football whilst in Cardiff for a combined UWIC/Cardiff University team, complete with helmet, body armour and the rest of the paraphernalia involved in the game.

Matthew was also a useful athlete as he started out in the 80 metres hurdles and later won a Welsh vest as winner of the 400 metres hurdles at county, Dyfed and Welsh national events.

Good cameras – and great advice

Matthew started out with a Samsung GX10 camera which he still uses sometimes because his new Pentax K7 has a lens which is inter-changeable with the Samsung.

            “Both have been great,” he told us, “but after looking on the internet I was lucky to receive great advice from Ivan Wilson at Celtic Vision in Narberth, who provides a great service. I would recommend anyone who wants to buy any sort of camera to talk to Ivan first because he will put you on the right road.”

Matthew sent a few of his first rugby pictures to Gordon Thomas, the sports editor at the Western Telegraph, who told him that he thought they were good enough to be included in the paper, but had arrived too late for inclusion that week!

It was the start of his involvement and he decided that he would give his photography the name of ‘Raw Photography’ for two reasons. The first was that ‘Raw’ was a file format and had a catchy ring to it and secondly it emphasised his view that photographs are far better taken in a natural state, rather than being set up, or posed, over a period of time.

Millennium ambitions –

and best sports photograph

So far his involvement has seen him take pictures at Parc y Scarlets and the Liberty Stadium but he has yet to be an official photographer at the Millennium Stadium because he would need public liability insurance of £5 million and at the moment has only £2 million liability, he says with a chuckle!

Ask him about the best photograph he has taken in his stint and he would have no hesitation in choosing the winner.

            “Last season I took pictures at the Senior Cup Final between Hakin United and Haverfordwest County at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium,” he said, “and caught Nicky Woodrow scoring a great goal for Hakin against his old team mates. It appeared on the back page of the Western Telegraph and on PembrokeshireSport.co.uk and shows the highs and lows of scoring and conceding a goal – and has some of the large crowd in it as an added bonus!”

Family support

His teaching at Carew CP School obviously takes priority in Matthew’s working life but his photography provides an ideal means of relaxation at weekends. He has three fine sons in George (6), Toby (2) and Elliot (six months) and is lucky to have support from his wife Lisa, as he did from his dad Lawrence and late mother Judy.

“I really enjoy still being involved in sport through photography and am always on the look-out for new subjects, so if anyone would like me to feature their chosen sport they need only give me a ring and I’ll see what I can do.”