Guides

You don't have to traverse over foreign waters to find some incredible infinity pools - the UK's poolside offerings allows guests to take a dip while soaking in some spectacular and seamless views. The meeting of smart design, luxury and holiday fun can be found in some unexpected places on our shores - meaning all you need for that holiday feeling is a car, swimsuit and a free Sunday. Here are our top finds. 1. Watergate Bay Hotel, Cornwall This...

We've moved on from the ol' point-and-clicks these days. Unless you've a photographer's eye, holiday pics of buildings can turn out as dull as they sound. But with some expert tips, the detail and wonder of the world's best structures can be captured on camera. Thanks to SmugMug, the world’s largest independent photo-sharing platform, we spoke to fine art photographer Julia Anna Gospodarou to find out her tips on top photography. 1/ Think about composition first Composition is the first thing one will notice in your image. It is the skeleton of your imageand it is what can make or break a photograph. Composition is what can give you an award winning image or a so-so one. There are a few things that, if you do them, they can help your image becomes more interesting.  First, stay out of the centre of the image with yyour image more power. Going off centre will give more dynamism to your photo, while creating a story. Have in mind the rule of thirds and know that the best spot to place your subject is the lower right third of the image. Remember that disposing your subjects on a diagonal in the frame is a very good way of drawing the attention to them. Use leading lines, play with patterns, break the patterns, play with shadows and light as main subject, think of the relation you create between positive and negative space in your image (positive space is your buildings, negative space is, for instance, the sky). 2/ Look at the volumes when you shoot architecture In architecture, volumes is what it is all about. Volumes and light, or rather seeing how light falls on the volumes and showing it in your images. The light falling on the volumes will emphasise their shape, colour, texture and materials. This will give you ideas and help you compose your shot. Look for interesting intersections of lines and surfaces, look for overlapping volumes, for volumes that complete one another or that contrast with one another. Try to see your subjects as being composed of simple volumes and search for the angle from which the dominant lines of their structure can create a harmonious composition. It's all about how to translate the three-dimensional world you see into a two-dimensional image while still showing the depth; seeing the volumes is what will help you with that. 3/ Learn to understand how the light helps your architectural photograph Light is not always the same, there are different types of light that will create different looks in your images, showing different aspects of a building. Pic courtesy of Julia...

Our hectic London lifestyle doesn't stop when we go abroad. Latest figures indicate that three in five of us check Twitter every day while on hols, and depressingly, half of us check work e-mails, with a third admitting that they regret it. We're in serious danger of changing the dynamic of holiday - instead of getting away from it all, holidays now equal checking our phone on a beach rather than on a sofa. It's a habit that's hard to...

By Beth Roberts You don’t need to be scuba-certified to be seduced by a life aquatic. In fact, all you really need is a mask. If the idea of going underwater has you floundering for your flippers, you’re in luck. From stingray cities to sea lions and even night excursions, we’ve put together a list of the top ten snorkelling spots to satisfy your sub-aqua appetite… 1. Grand Cayman Be mobbed by a flock of friendly stingrays in the crystal...

Adrenaline-junkies have a new set of boxes to tick as a new study found the 10 best adrenaline rushes around the world. Not for the faint-hearted, the daring top 10 was compiled from a massive public survey involving 2,000 people, with the shortlist drawn up by mentors for new Discovery Channel series Idris Elba: No Limits (yes, that's Stringer Bell from The Wire), including former British Rally Championship winner Jimmy McRae, US drag racing champion Antron Brown and Finnish World...

By Beth Roberts The great British summertime is upon us, which can only mean one thing – notoriously unpredictable weather. That's why more Brits than ever are ditching their wellies in favour of sunnier climes, heading to Europe for some epic music getaways. A staple on the jetsetter's festival calendar, Barcelona’s Primavera drew record crowds last weekend thanks to a combination of cheap flights, sure-fire sunshine and an impressive roster of acts. But if you missed Primavera don’t worry -...

by Shilpa Ganatra, Travel Editor Ever fancied getting away from it all on a private island custom-made for maximum luxury? Us too. That's why we extensively researched into seven private island destinations to rent for your next getaway. The bill will undoubtedly run into five figures for such high-class pampering - but even if you're not looking to buy such a holiday straight away, a little window shopping doesn't hurt.. 1. Cayo Espanto, Belize Three miles off the Belize coast and spanning four-acres, Cayo...