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Soaking up the sun in Benidorm, thesixty-somethings who've �led bitterBritain for the kinder climate of Spain:Photographer's candid portraits of ex-pat life by the sea

Maria Moldes runs an Instagram of shots of sun-seeking sixty-somethingsPhotographs all of her retired subjects on the beaches of Benidorm, SpainAdmits that she �inds herself attracted to the 'character' of older faces Enjoys the 'liberation' that ex-pats feel in their new homeSnaps everyday life on the streets and beaches of Benidorm 

By KATIE AMEY FOR MAILONLINEPUBLISHED: 08:42 EST, 23 January 2015 | UPDATED: 10:38 EST, 23 January 2015

They are the pensioners who have left the cold British climate behind for a better lifeby the sea.

And one Spanish photographer loves nothing more than capturing the everydaylives of these sun-seekers, who have set up home in the resort town of Benidorm.

Maria Moldes, originally from Galicia, �irst beacme interested in her subjects whenshe moved to the nearby city of Alicante and started travelling to Benidorm tocapture life on the resort's streets.

Moldes said she was drawn in particular to the characters who have made Benidormtheir home, shedding their inhibitions as they take to a life on a the coast. 

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Maria Moldes �inds her subjects on the beaches of Benidorm, Spain, which is quite near towhere she lives

The amateur photographer loves capturing candid shots of everyday life on the beach, such asexercise classes held on the sands

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The intimate photos show everyday life on the streets of the town as well as on its beaches

Former psychologist Moldes has risen to Internet fame for her series of photographs ofpensioners

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Uploading the candid shots she snapped to her Instagram page, Moldes capturedeverything from exercise classes on the sands and women soaking up the sun tocouple strolling along the narrow streets and shopping in markets. 

Speaking about why she liked to photograph older subjects, she explained: 'Theyteach you the marks of life.

'If you observe them for long enough, you end up discovering interesting people.'

Moldes used to use a re�lex camera for her photographs, until recently switching tousing her mobile phone.

The pictures show how ex-pats have adapted to their new homes with a more relaxed way oflife

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She admits that she prefers snapping 60-somethings because she loves the 'character' in theirfaces

Moldes says she loves nothing more than snapping the foreign residents in their new homes asit shows them at their happiest

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Her favourite image, Moldes says that this woman reminds her of a retired Hollywood actress

By watching her subjects closely, Moldes says she discovers new and interesting things aboutthem

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Benidorm has recently become the less-than-�lattering star of the comedy TV series of thesame name, which focuses on the older population of the popular resort town

The former psychologist told MailOnline: 'There are women who really dress up, wholook very beautiful, but above all, I like that they lose their inhibitions here.

'They look happy.' 

She added: 'This last year, I have dedicated myself 100 per cent to photography andI hope to continue this way.

'Next month I have an exhibition of a series called Gammacity, with urban photos I'vetaken.

'These beach shots form a series called Radioactive Life.

'In this area where I live now, there is a large population of older people - manyretirees.

'That's why I photograph them.'

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The glamour of some of the women particularly enchants Moldes, show says it is interestingseeing them all dressed up for a day out

The aspiring photographer calls her series of beach shots, Radioactive Life 

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Moldes is also expanding her exhibition to include a series of urban photographs, calledGammacity

The colourful assortment of images shows older couples heading to yoga classes,doing exercises on the beach and soaking up the rays.

Spain's Costa Blanca, home to Benidorm and a string of other seaside resorts, �irstbecame popular with Britons in 1957 with the dawn of the package holiday.

It boomed in the 1960s, but then experienced a decline for a decade after touroperator Court Line went bust stranding tens of thousands of people abroad. 

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In peak holiday season, expat residents mingle with holidaymakers on the busy beaches

Moldes says that her favourite part of her hobby is seeing how the women who 'lose theirinhibitions here'

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But Benidorm picked up again following the death of General Franco in 1974, whichprompted a boom in Spain as it opened up to tourism and international business.

Benidorm's reputation has suffered in recent years and has even become the subjectof the television comedy series of the same name that paints it in a less-than-�lattering light.

However, with new luxury hotels being built and low property prices, the seasidetown is hoping to boom once again. 

For more candid shots from Maria Moldes, visit her website.  

Read more:Instagrammariamoldes.com/