Airport survival guide—we want your tips!

It's the official start of summer, and as such it's also the unofficial start of tanning season. But with increasing research and information available about the risks of tanning, is that beach-bronzed skin worth the health threats? First off, let's go over sun basics 101. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, sunlight consists of two types of harmful rays: ultraviolet A (UVA) rays and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. UVA rays (which can pass through window glass) penetrate deeper into the skin. UVA rays can suppress the immune system's ability to protect against skin cancer and exposure to UVA can lead to wrinkling and age spots. if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('9f2fe998-0e21-4f79-88dc-7e2cd816e19f');Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)The UVB rays are the sun's burning rays (which are blocked by window glass) and are the primary cause of sunburn. The Academy has this good tip: "A good way to remember it is that UVA rays are the aging rays and UVB rays are the burning rays." And note that excessive exposure to either form of UV rays can lead to skin cancer. In other words, there is no safe way to tan (sigh). But, there are safer ways to tan. This is the American Academy of Dermatology's recommendations for how to be "sun smart:" - Generously apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to all exposed skin. "Broad-spectrum" provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply about every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating. - Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, where possible. (Check out Japanese clothing store Uniqlo's new line, Uniqlo UV Cut, that claims to filter out UV rays.) - Seek shade. The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (That's right, time to invest in a beach umbrella. I'm on the hunt for a 1950s-style, nautical striped number…) - Use extra caution near water, snow and sand because they reflect the sun's damaging rays, which can increase your chance of sunburn. - Get your daily dose of vitamin D safely through diet and vitamin supplements. - Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look tan, consider using a self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it. - Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist. Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early. What about you? Are you planning on tanning despite the odds? Let us know by voting in our poll or commenting below. More from Budget Travel: 5 best new ice pops in the U.S. New budget airline Vision delivers cheap fares Great surf spots you've (probably) never heard of

In every issue of Budget Travel, we feature one of the best reader photos on our back page. Now, see the stories behind them. Madison, WisconsinThe University of Wisconsin students have a real sense of humor. Their Lady Liberty on the Lake prank is a classic image of Madison that has made it onto postcards all over the city. During the summer, I'm usually sailing on Lake Mendota, but when it's five below zero, you've got to take advantage of it, too. So one February, I decided to see it for myself. I took this shot from the Memorial Union Terrace, but I actually went out on the lake and took some close-ups as well. I know how deep the water is and it was completely disorienting to be walking on it. I've live here for 35 years, but sometimes you need to look at your own hometown through a tourist's eye.—Cliff Koehler, Madison, Wis. Top tip: When you shoot a larger-than-life landmark, include people in the frame to emphasize the dramatic scale. Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, JapanPhotography is very popular in Japan—sometimes it's hard to find a place to stand because you're surrounded by photographers. I'd managed to find a spot to shoot the stage performance at our town's annual flower festival when I saw a bunch of little girls dressed in kimonos, shouting and chasing one another. It definitely caught my attention—the Japanese are usually very reserved. So while the rest of the photographers were looking at the stage, I had these girls all to myself. It was pretty spontaneous.—Diana Ni, Iwakuni, Japan Top tip: To adjust for bright light, aim at a less sunny spot, push the shutter button halfway, and hold it. Then frame your subject and shoot. Mekong Delta, VietnamNo matter where you go in this country, you get an amazing palette of greens. From the rice paddies of the north to the jungles of the south, the color carries through—it's Vietnam's common thread. When you're on your way from Ho Chi Minh City to Ben Tre, deep in the delta, the Mekong is so expansive that it almost feels like a big lake. Then you turn into one of these tributaries, and you're in the middle of a tunnel of foliage. In this photo, the limitations of my point-and-shoot actually helped: As the camera tried to focus on the light, it created dark, blurred edges, which better conveyed the mood. The light streamed in through the canopy, and suddenly, you could see a path filled with water taxis and hte mostly older women who pilot them. They're stone-faced and businesslike, just doing their thing.—Steven Cypher, Pittsburgh Top tip: Don't be afraid of negative space! Try surrounding your subject with a dark or an empty frame to make the focal point pop. Havana, CubaI'd always wanted to go to Cuba to see the old cars and buildings, but I wasn't prepared for the amazing atmosphere of Havana's town squares: men playing instruments, ladies dancing, horse carts waiting to pick up passengers. When I travel, I tend to avoid portraits—landscapes can't make a fuss!—but when I saw this lady, I had to take her picture in front of this yellow wall. She spoke no English, and I don't speak Spanish well, so we used hand signals. She was silent the entire time, but her eyes were so playful and feisty as she pulled this fan out of nowhere and began showing off. Her expression drew me in—not unlike the dancers in the street who reeled in strangers to join them.—Giovanna Tucker, London. Top tip: When taking portraits outside, use the flash to light faces evenly; sunlight can often leave one side in shadow. Ehukai Beach Park, Oahu, HawaiiBelieve it or not, I'm petrified of water—I don't know how to swim and could drown in a bathtub. But photographing water fascinates me, which is why I come back to Oahu's North Shore year after year. As long as I keep my distance. I'm just fine, but I've taken out an insurance policy on my photography equipment! I took this shot in the late afternoon with the sun behind me so that the image wouldn't be blown out from the glare. Sometimes, I'll set the camera on continuous shooting mode and take several at once, following the wave from a swell to its final break. You have to be patient—you never know what you'll see. I've witnessed 30-foot walls of water. I've seen the pipeline when it was a graceful barrel, and I've seen it when it was the way it is in this shot—disheveled, unruly, ever-changing.—Diane Glatzer, Brooklyn, Ohio Top tip: Set your camera to a faster shutter speed. It will freeze the action of hte water so you can capture every droplet in the air. St. Paul's Cathedral, LondonI was interviewing for a job in London, and my potential employers flew me in for one day of meetings, with a flight home the next morning. Since I'd never been to the city, I treated myself to a quick tour. Suddenly, something very London occured: It started to pour. I happened to be passing St. Paul's Cathedral, so I dove in to escape the rain. I hadn't planned to stop, but because I was already inside, I decided to climb the famous dome. On the way up, I glanced out the windows. The sun had started to come out and the rain was clearing, so I ran the rest of the way to catch the view while I had the chance. The light was breathtaking, as the clouds cast geometric shadows on the square below. It didn't last long—the rain picked back up almost immediately. Little did I know you could stumble on such a great way to see the city.—Sheila Cherry, Columbus, Ohio. Top tip: Cloudy days can make for muted photos. Use iPhoto or Windows Live Photo Gallery to adjust contrast and make colors pop. Boyce, VirginiaThere were easily 100 photographers at the annual Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon Festival—I have pictures of other photographers just jockeying for position. I got one great shot of a big red-and-purple balloon, but at a certain point I just gave up and was walking away when I spotted this dog. It had drifted up a little valley, and I realized if I could get to the right spot it was going to float directly in front of the sun. The thing about those balloons is that they're beautifully illuminated if you can get the light right behind them, and I managed to capture this just as the sun peeked out from behind the leg. It wasn't until I got home that I discovered exactly what I had.—Rick Collier, Reston, Va. Top tip: Don't sleep in. Sunsets get all the glory, but the golden light of sunrise lends photos crispness. (As do morning frost and fog.) Eiffel Tower, ParisTen years after my first trip to Paris, my mother and I returned to mark the anniversary. For almost the entire trip, the sky was cloudy and gray, and by the last day, we'd given up hope of snapping that Perfect Photo. Somewhat defeated, we sat on a bench near the Eiffel Tower. Just then, the sun emerged, and with it, out came the Parisians! With only one bar left on my camera's battery, this ended up being my last picture of the trip. Everyone takes the classic vertical shot to fit the whole tower in the frame, but that way, you miss so much life below it. I chose to focus on just the base to capture the Frisbees, the cotton candy, the tourists in line. I've still never made it to the top—I'm too distracted by what's going on underneath.—Lauren Meshkin, El Segundo, Calif. Top tip: Avoid using the LCD screen, flash, or timer unless you need them for the shot. They draw serious charge from your battery. Easter Island, Chile. There is such mystery surrounding the moai of Easter Island. These monoliths date back at least 500 years and were somehow scattered by the hundreds across this South Pacific island. On an around-the-world trip, my wife and I made a point to visit the iconic stone statues, but we wanted to capture them in a unique way. To achieve this shot, we created a whole theater out there in the middle of the night. I set my camera to a 30-second exposure, while three others in our group "painted" the moai with the beams from their flashlights, leaving the statues perfectly bathed in light. The setting, on the other hand, required no special effects. Because there are no big cities on the island and thus no light pollution, there were more stars in the sky than I had ever seen in my life.—Andy Coleman Top tip: At night, it's difficult for digital cameras to auto-focus on faraway items. To compensate, set to manual and focus to infinity. Bali, IndonesiaI've always been struck by that classic image of Balinese women carting mountains of fruit on their heads. On a recent trip to the island, our hotel manager in the tourist town of Ubud told us about a Hindu festival in his village 30 minutes away, and I jumped at the chance to go. The event didn't disappoint: The priests, the men gambling, the gamelan music—and we were the only foreigners there. Wandering down the road, I came upon this duo headed toward the temple, carrying offerings to be blessed by a Hindu priest. They never stopped walking, and I never said anything. Undistracted, they exuded such a natural calm and beauty. I felt as if I'd been waiting my whole trip for exactly this shot.—Judi Fenson, San Diego, Calif. Top tip: For portraits of people in motion, leave space in the frame for the subject to move toward. It feels more realistic and unposed. Coney island, Brooklyn, N.Y. I've been visiting Coney Island since I was a child, but I've never been a huge fan of rides. I go for the ambiance. There's something thrilling about watching tourists scream for their lives. On this particular June day, I was just wandering around eating a shish kebab, enjoying the warm weather. Right as I was about to leave, I found myself under the Brooklyn Flyer, just as the ride—and the screams—started up. I was able to capture the scene from an unexpected angle, and now, every time I look at it, I can't help but feel a bit queasy, as if I were in one of those seats!—Jorge Quinteros, Queens, N.Y. Top tip: Avoid blur when shooting fast-moving objects by using your "action" setting (look for a running man icon). Potala Palace, Tibet As a child I saw Potala Palace, the Dalai Lama's former home, on a postcard. After that, I always dreamed of visiting it. In 2005, my wife and I arranged a trip to Tibet, and I finally got my chance. We arrived at the palace at midday, and the contrast between old and new immediately struck me: the traditionally dressed Buddhist monk using a digital camera; the sparkling new fountains in front of the 17th-century building. The scene was undeniably contemporary, but somehow it was just as wistful and aged as the postcard I saw all those years ago.—Jackson Ng, San Francisco, Calif. Top tip: You should generally use a flash for shots in high sun. It pops the foreground and eliminates shadows. St. Peter's Basilica, RomeA few years ago, my husband and I took our first trip to Rome. Because of a nasty flight delay, we were completely exhausted by the time we reached our first stop, the basilica; we hadn't slept in about 36 hours. The church was predictably crowded—people were going this way and that, gawking at the ceiling, taking photos—but at the same time, it was nearly silent. These amazing beams of late-afternoon light poured through the oculus, and you could feel a palpable presence in the room. Even now, we look at this picture and both get the chills. —Jennifer and Marty Flinn, Lompoc, Calif. Top tip: When you can't use a tripod, squeeze your elbows into your chest for support, inhale, exhale, and shoot. Brooklyn Bridge, New York CityThis photo is all about what you can't see: the New York skyline. Unlike in other cities (say, fog-filled San Francisco), Manhattan's skyscrapers are almost always visible, no matter the weather or vantage point. But when this blizzard hit about 10 years ago, everything seemed to just disappear. To capture the moment, I grabbed my camera and headed across the Brooklyn Bridge. Without the lights of the city, it felt like another world. These four people were the only ones I saw. Collectively, it was as if we were members of a secret and privileged club—and no one else on earth knew we were there. —Martrese White, Portland, Ore. Top tip: For low-light shots, stabilize shaky hands with a tripod. Also use your camera's timer to minimize unnecessary jostling when snapping the shutter. Sintra, PortugalMy husband, our two teenage daughters, and I were on a weeklong camping trip in Portugal about a year ago, and we stopped in Sintra, a medieval hill town of castles and alleyways about 30 minutes northwest of Lisbon. While everyone else set off in search of a bakery, I took a blissful walk on my own. Down a side street, I spotted two musicians playing bandoneones while a couple danced slowly, like they were completely in love. If I could explain Sintra with just one picture, this would be it: romantic, timeless, and enchanting. —Miriam Cinquegrana, Tappan, N.Y. Maui, HawaiiIn April, my girlfriend and I went to Maui, where I signed up for a motorized hang-gliding flight off the Hana coast. After strapping in at Hana Airport, the guide and I rose to about 4,000 feet. At that point, he cut the engine, and we drifted down. Below, I saw the waterfalls at Oheo Gulch, a full-circle rainbow, and the black-sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. My adrenaline was pumping the whole time. It may have been the altitude, sure, but it was also thrilling to see the island in a way that so few visitors get to. —David Shrader, Bothell, Wash. Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre, ParisIn February, my friend and I added a two-day Paris layover to our return flight from India. While climbing the steps of Sacré-Coeur, I spotted a group of schoolchildren, each clutching a balloon. Their excitement was palpable; something was definitely about to happen. Sure enough, their teacher gave a signal, and the children released the balloons with a high-pitched chorus of "au revoir!" Neither of us speaks much French, so we never figured out what the event was all about, but somehow the mystery made the scene that much sweeter. —Jen McDonald, Nashville, Tenn. Oia, Santorini Island, GreeceIn September 2008, I went to Oia, on Greece's Santorini island, with my mother-in-law and two friends. I'd planned the getaway carefully, but somehow I forgot to pack my swimsuit, so I picked up a bright-pink bikini in Athens. It's the kind of thing I would never normally wear; it doesn't cover much. One afternoon, we came back to our vacation rental, the Oia Riva Villa, and hung our suits up to dry. Something about the color of the two-piece against the whitewashed walls struck me. In the early evening light, this little scene perfectly captured the essence of our trip. —Lara Dalinsky, Alexandria, Va. Plaza de Armas, Cuzco, PeruAfter a full day of sightseeing in Cuzco, my girlfriend, Brittany, and I were exhausted. To catch our breath—literally, since the city sits at 11,024 feet—we retreated to the second-floor balcony of La Retama restaurant. Toward the end of the meal, I put down my pinot grigio and spotted this inverted reflection of La Compañía church in my glass. I started snapping photos, and this shot was the best of five. It captures the spirit of the moment and will always remind me of a life-changing trip. —Thomas Cox, Lexington, Ky. Lake Atitlán, GuatemalaOn my second day in Panajachel, a town on the northern shore of Guatemala's Lake Atitlán, I got up around 5 a.m. to prowl around. The lake is normally very busy with boats, but at this hour, it was deserted, save for this solitary fisherman rhythmically casting his net. It seemed he'd been out on the water long before the sun came up, and I got the impression that he'd be there for hours more. I didn't plan this shot, but he happened to move just where I wanted him to be. —Rebecca Wilks, Peoria, Ariz. Piazza della Rotonda, RomeOn our first day in Rome, my partner, Anthony, and I set out to see the city's ancient monuments. There was so much activity—couples kissing on the Spanish Steps, tourists crowding the Trevi Fountain, nuns snapping photos with their cell phones. After a long walk, we stopped for dinner as the sun set over the Fountain of the Four Rivers, and at sundown, we started to retrace our steps. In the darkness, everything was still buzzing, but it was somehow hushed—reverent, even. Locals and visitors sat at cafés outside the Pantheon, taking it in and perhaps imagining the millions of people who have shared this same experience. —Timothy State, Chicago, Ill. Just back from a trip? Upload your pictures to BudgetTravel.com, and we just might feature one on our back page.

Whatever happened to the cheap red-eye flight? It seem as if the discounted overnight U.S. flight is vanishing, going the way of the hotel bathtub, the airplane no-smoking sign, and the daytime soap opera. You might assume that a flight at a witching hour is cheaper than a flight during the day. Yet that's not true anymore, as airline analyst Jared Blank has pointed out in a post at Online Travel Review. As Blank notes, in the mid-'80s, Eastern Airlines ran "night coach" fares for coast-to-coast red-eyes for half the regular fare. The catch? There were layovers in the middle of the night in Chicago, Houston, or Kansas City, Mo. Today, not only is Eastern Airlines long gone, but the entire idea of a low cost middle-of-the-night plane trip has vanished. Few airlines would allow a 3:30 a.m. stopover today. They want to avoid having tired pilots make mistakes and having residents near the airports complain about noise. Sure, the airlines still run transcontinental flights that take off and land at odd hours. But these flights aren't bargains anymore. In some cases, they cost more than flights at reasonable hours. JetBlue's overnights from Seattle to NYC, for instance, depart at 10 p.m. and arrive at 5:52 a.m. (local time) yet are more expensive than daytime flights on the same route. Such pricing is typical for fares for cross-country trips from the West Coast. Perhaps American workaholics are now willing to pay top dollar for absurdly scheduled flights that airlines used to have to give away on the cheap. if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('001297bb-4787-4acd-84a2-6deeb6bc57de');Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)Red-eyes exact a brutal toll with jetlag because of their short duration and the resulting time zone change. How much savings would be worth it for you to take a redeye if it were cheaper? $50? $100? $200? Vote in our poll. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Hotel bathtubs are an endangered species What's your take on Airbus' vision for the future? Open secret websites for booking hotels Should airlines allow U.S. soldiers to board planes first? Photo: Courtesy Departed Flights

Last month, in our effort to get to the bottom of the age–old dilemma—is it cheaper to fly or drive?—we shared some tips on how to price both travel methods out. Looks like online coupon site BeFrugal.com has been mulling over the same question—on June 7, they launched a Fly or Drive Calculator, which uses a series of algorithms to determine the cost of your trip on the road versus in the air. All you need to get started is your point of origin and your destination. Once you've entered those, you can skip straight to the results, or you can enter additional details about your trip for a more accurate estimate. Overall, the process is quick and, by the looks of it, thoroughly done—the calculations are based on data from a number of sources, such as AAA, and give you an approximate calculation not only your flying and driving time, but also your CO2 emissions. If your road trip spans several days, the cost of hotel stays is incorporated into the grand total (their default hotel rate is an appropriately frugal $75 per night). BeFrugal.com discloses margins of error ranging from 10 to 25 percent for the various elements of the calculation (flying time; cost of airfare; driving time; driving costs), and stands by a claim that in most cases, their data is "accurate enough to be used to decide between flying or driving." Wanting to test the site out with a real–life example, I borrowed a friend's Fourth of July plans—New York City to Boston, July 1–4—and went to work. There are four steps, and most of the required info is basic and easily accessible (what airports will you travel out of and into? How will you get to the airport? What's the make and model of your car?). I have to admit there was a step or two that had me scratching my head: when asked how many hours I would drive daily, the system wouldn't let me enter less than six. Considering that the entire NYC–Boston drive takes about four hours, give or take, I stared for a minute, brow furrowed, before reluctantly selecting six and moving on. The verdict? Driving wins big on the budget front, with a total of about $91 (against $387 to fly). On time, flying wins by a slim margin: 3 hours and 51 minutes door-to-door, including transportation to and from the airport, versus 4 hours and 17 minutes door–to–door driving time (but let's be honest—the extra 25 minutes of driving time could easily be matched at the airport with an unexpected delay on the tarmac or a long bathroom line). Flying also wins by a nose in CO2 impact (426 lbs. in emissions vs. 442 lbs. for driving). When all is said and done, I'd feel confident telling my friend to make her Boston getaway a road trip—that is, if she hadn't already opted for secret option #3: busing it. For more info on how the Fly or Drive Calculator works, visit BeFrugal.com's FAQ page. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Open secret websites for booking hotels Travelzoo now offers local vacation deals The Ultimate Guide to Travel Apps