Thanks for the tips. I'll see what I can come up with.
What about camera settings? I just have a simple point-and-shoot (Panasonic Lumix, DMC-FS3). I have a digital photography book, so I should probably dig it out and do some reading, then try out some more pics.
hmmmm... if you're going to shoot in a shaded area... here's a start... Scene Preset: Portrait... Shooting Mode: Normal picture... White Balance: Shade... no flash...
use the timer so your hand won't shake the camera if the exposure is long...