SKYE'S the limit for a North-East photographer who has carved a niche in her local artistic community.

Eva Zandman has been involved at the NeST Gallery, in Barnard Castle, since it opened three years ago.

Currently the gallery's resident photographer, Ms Zandman, 31, is planning to bid farewell to Teesdale for a new life with her partner on Skye, off the west coast of Scotland.

After immigrating to the UK from Poland nine years ago, she met her partner in Snowdonia and they moved to his native Teesdale, where Ms Zandman established her photography business.

“I was working as a fitness instructor at Teesdale Leisure Centre, but I have always had a creative calling and thought there must be something creative I could get involved in,” she said.

“My father had a camera and a dark room and I remember him developing pictures, but I was never as mad about photography then as I have become.”

When the NeST Gallery was established in a former car showroom in 2010, Ms Zandman moved in, sharing a studio with fellow artist Keith Orange, who runs Vintage Graphics, on The Bank, Barnard Castle.

Ms Zandman said Mr Orange acted as her mentor.

“I would describe myself as self-taught, but with help – you always tend to 'steal' people's knowledge.

“I am still learning – it is a continuous process. There are so many things you can do with photography.”

She now hopes to establish a new photographic venture on Skye and plans to concentrate on landscapes.

“We keep going up there on holiday and thought we might as well live there. We always knew we would move to Scotland, we just didn't know where,” said Ms Zandman.

“I would like to continue with the photography. I have some work lined up for next year which will keep me going for a little while and I will see if there is enough demand.

“I will definitely do more landscape photography which I have not had the time to do here. I am really looking forward to it.”

She added: “I will miss my friends in Teesdale, but I am looking forward to Staffin Bay, the seals and the wildlife of Skye.”