Attention to lighting
It's the middle of summer, and you have a brand-new digital camera, but your pictures aren't looking as stellar as you had hoped. Perhaps there are huge shadows under the eyes of your subjects, or a whole lot of squinting faces.
Ref. https://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2008...ng-camera_N.htm
I have found in my picture taking to try to face at around 90 degrees to the sun. This helps keep the subject in the light but does not wash them out or cause a lot of shadows. Plus the subject is not squinting while they face the sun. Trial and error will help you get some nice shots.
With the new digital cameras this should never have to be an issue like Klar said move your subject if you can also be sure to try different camera angles and forcing the flash on.
The digital is nice because you can see how your picture will be before you even take it and you can adjust what you need to make it right.
I was never great with the old 35 mm but you should try out some of the new digitals they adjust aperture and white balance for you and you get great pictures. I have a fujifilm 1000 it is less then 300 including batteries and 2gig memory card and is just one step below a true slr.
Thats one of the reasons they use those big white umbrellas for lighting. Most of the shot actually comes in setting up the stage from before. All those things makes me impatient. I'd be there hitting my fingers on the camera and would probably end up breaking it. .
Yes a professional shot is very painful waiting on the set up of the reflecting surfaces and stuff. I had to do a photo here at work and never again will I do that. But I was thinking of more the just every day family and friends memory pictures.
I find sometimes just putting a slight upward angle on the camera removes the shadows because the camera changes its settings due to how the light is hitting the light sensor on the camera. mine even has a red LED on it for dark short it lights your target and if you can see it in outline the flash will make it look like daylight.