Bermuda is to lose a respected artist next week ¿ noted photographer Amanda Temple is leaving the island for an indefinite stay in London.

Her plan is to pursue new opportunities in the bustling metropolis. First up, finding a part-time job. Second, establishing her reputation in a city of around eight million people.

"I'm really looking forward to just growing as an artist," she said, in explaining the reason behind the dramatic move.

"I'm looking forward to working on some thoughts I've been mulling over and also doing all these amazing things which I have sort of been doing here. I just feel it's time for me. That I need to get off 'the rock' for a little bit in order to grow. It is going to be hard for me to go somewhere and be completely anonymous, to have to go to the bottom of the totem pole, but I think it will be interesting."

Ms Temple's career as a photographer began after her initial plans to become a professional ballerina were scuppered by a knee injury. In university at the time, she redefined the focus of her fine arts degree and has been shooting ever since.

Her reputation was initially established as a portrait and wedding photographer. In the years since, her portfolio has broadened such that Ms Temple's talent as an artist may be evidenced in several media.

The artist hopes that London will take her a few steps further.

"I considered New York, California, London, Paris and Boston ¿ I wasn't really sure," she said.

"But I'm not American and so I just decided it would be simpler to not deal with immigration issues. And I do love to travel ¿ London is more central and easy to travel to Paris, Prague, Marrakech, wherever.

"When you walk around London as I do, you can't help but be inspired by (all the art). With (the work I do) you can do it successfully in a place like Bermuda because it's a small community. I bump into people say, in a car park, and they'll ask what I'm up to. Or if I'm doing a family photo shoot on a beach they'll ask, 'Is this your full-time position?'

"It's amazing how many jobs I've gotten that way whereas in London I'm not going to have that because people don't know who I am. I'm not going to be in the newspaper ¿ ever. It's going to be a challenge. And because it's based on word of mouth, it will take time."

Also factoring in her decision was the diverse artistry on offer in cosmopolitan London.

"I was in London in April and again in July. I did a few family portraits, and there's just something about the light there. Everyone thinks the weather's so awful but when it's grey, it's sort of silvery, the light was soft and diffused and it was really, really beautiful. I was excited about that.

"Here the light is so bright ¿ which is gorgeous as well ¿ but your window is tiny. In London I can shoot all day.

"I'm really looking forward to being in London and being involved in this incredibly diverse artistic community. When I was there in July, on a Monday night I went to see Swan Lake performed by the National Ballet of China at the Royal Opera House ¿ your exposure to such things is infinite."

With that in mind, Ms Temple said she applied for a host of part-time positions likely to boost her knowledge of art in its many forms.

"I applied for a few jobs a while ago," she said, admitting her realisation even then that, for some of them, her experience was insufficient.

"Positions like the fundraising manager of the Tate and things like that. I knew they were out of my league, but I figured why not try? I worked with XL Bermuda Open tournament for six or seven years on everything from fundraising to overall management of the event. Just this week I applied for a job at the Royal Opera House. It's for a film/broadcast production manager, organising audio and audiovisual recording of their operas and their ballets. They want someone who has knowledge of the theatre. I was a dancer for 18 years and I just started again. I am looking for a job, but only part-time as I definitely want to do my photography as well. But I am looking forward to branching out."

At present, her stay in London is without a timeline ¿ a daunting thought for a Bermudian used to having family and friends only a walk or drive away.

"Six days? Six months? Six years? I have no idea how long I'll be gone," Ms Temple admitted.

"It's an adventure. I just got an e-mail from a friend who had done this exactly a year ago. He was telling me how he was so excited and so scared by the prospect. I wrote back and said that's exactly how I feel.

"I am over the moon and terrified in one because I don't have a firm plan. My aunt is in Turkey until October and I'll be staying at her flat until then so it's good to have somewhere to live ¿ at least I'm not going to be on the nearest park bench.

"But I think it's one of those things. I'm preparing to leave but it's all just a bit surreal. I've had a few teary moments with (family and friends) but I think it's something that doesn't hit you until you've done it. You just pack your things up. Part of me does wish I'd gone five years ago or four years ago or three years ago but I wasn't ready. I was enjoying everything I was doing here."

Her departure comes on the heels of photographer Meredith Andrews' emigration to Europe. That her own leaving might have an impact on Bermuda's art community is something Ms Temple hadn't considered at all.

"Becky Spencer has returned from California," she said. "Alex Masters is shooting. And my sister Sacha Blackburne is incredible. She's really grown. I'm so proud of her."

The photographer said she would miss her frequent collaborations with her sister and Ms Andrews.

"The three of us would talk all the time and exchange ideas and advice. It was amazing how often tricky situations pop up ¿ from a copyright standpoint to things you just don't know how to deal with ¿ and it's great to have someone else that is going through the same thing."

As eager as she is to spread her wings, Ms Temple described her experience as a photographer here as invaluable.

"The thing that is wonderful about Bermuda is that it does give you opportunities that you don't get elsewhere," she insisted. "If you were 23 and living in New York, there are five million other 23 year olds that are photographers living in New York. Here, there are maybe 20 of us.

"And it's a close-knit community. We're competitors but we're also friends. We do talk to each other and we do collaborate. Basically, we help each other out and if we learn something (we'll share). So it's a good place to learn and to be given opportunities we probably would not get elsewhere."

Her hope is that her years of experience and her style of photography will place her in good stead in England.

"I've done a lot of research into other London photographers. There are quite a lot of them but some aren't very good. I think London hasn't totally come onto reportage type of photography yet. It's still very much crispy, soulless studio work. Whereas what Sacha and I do is very different. We use natural light, with people behaving naturally, children laughing, playing with bubbles or balloons, barefoot.

"And that's really what I want to do in London ¿ to go to people's flats and spend a morning with them. Capture their kids playing, making smiley faces on pancakes, and then maybe go to the park with them, shoot them riding the merry-go-round. Just living and enjoying their life instead of portraits where everybody puts on their Sunday best and looks crispy, happy and fake."

No matter what the outcome, Bermuda will always remain number one, the artist maintained.

"I'll be back and forth. This is my home and I love it. I have to say when I was in England in April I had a great time but when I came home and drove over the Causeway, just looking at that ocean I said to myself, 'I don't know if I can do this'. I go to the beach about 300 days of the year. I love the ocean ¿ I guess I'll have get to the sea as often as I can. I'm already planning Greece in October and Dubai in December."

For more information on Ms Temple's work or to commission her as an artist, visit www.amandatemple.com or send an e-mail, amandaamandatemple.com.