Travel Lightbulb

Today's shot comes courtesy of Paul Ashley who took it on a recent trip to Brussels. It might take you a moment to work it out, but what a clever shot! This is Grand-Place, the central square of the City of Brussels. It's considered as one of the most beautiful places of the world, and was registered on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO in 1998. The square is surrounded by public and private buildings dating mainly from the late 17th century.  It follows on nicely from my recent blog post about photography - if you look at things differently, this is proof you can get an amazing shot unlike your fellow travellers - thanks for the donation Paul!

Tomorrow sees the start of the legendary Milan-Sanremo cycling race - the longest one day race in the professional calendar. It's the 109th edition of the race , and is famously referred to as the 'Sprinters Classic'. Contenders race over 291km, before finishing the competition with a flying descent into the Ligurian city of Sanremo.  If you're inspired by those sprinters; love cycling, or just love stunning scenery, then this part of Italy is definitely worth a look. It's in the northwest of the country, and is also known as the Italian Riviera.  The long and narrow coastal region is recognised for its capital Genoa, the UNESCO World Heritage Cinque Terre villages, and for being the home of pesto! Renowned for its incredible beaches, beautifully preserved medieval villages, stunning mountains and unique cuisine - what's not to like!

You've chosen your location; booked your flights; and now it's time to capture the local sights on camera. I've got some top photography tips for you from the Jessops Academy team to help you plan ahead and take photos you'll be proud to show off when you return.  Do your research Before you arrive, research the best places to visit and the top tourist attractions. Sometimes I have a look and see how others have captured it, and think about what I could do differently. Would it look great with the sun high in the sky, or at sunset? The rule of thirds The secret to mastering this technique is to visualise a grid of lines running horizontally and vertically breaking your image into thirds. Compose your key point of interest by placing them in one of the thirds or intersecting points of the grid, and that will instantly draw attention to them and make your photo pleasing to the eye. Foreground detail Finally include something in the foreground...

You may have been told that December to March is the ideal time for a holiday in Lapland, and that's because both snow conditions and the northern lights displays are at their peak. However if you're not on the hunt for Santa, then the melting snow between April and June gives a wonderful hint of the phenomenal landscape that has been hidden for months.  In fact, Laplanders say late March-early April is their favourite time of the year. The daylight hours are longer, the temperature improves, and with less cloud cover, your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis increases. My flashback today features a hotel where you can opt to stay in an igloo - and that option is available until April. To view my original post, click  here.