Taking pictures in harsh sunlight

Celina

Hi Moose: thank goodness for your website! For the past few years I have been using a Nikon D40 and I upgraded to a D5100 but I'm not getting pictures that are nearly as crisp or stunning. Up close I seem to be doing well (pictures of my 7 month old daughter, for example) and I think I figured out how to get the continuous shutter release to work. We are on a family road trip through the Western US (Arizona, Utah, NM, Colorado) and my pictures in harsh sun and evening at sunset aren't turning out well at all. The daylight ones are all washed out and the sunset ones looked either really bright (auto) or just sort of dull (manual). Any suggestions?

Also, I purchsed the D5100 with the 18-55mm lens and the 55-300mm lens and I'm not sure I bought the right ones. The zoom lens I need because I have to take pictures from the car while we're barreling down the highway of billboards, etc, so I need the rapid shooting and the zoom.

Any suggestions? I'm in over my head with this and frustrated!

Thanks so much,
Celina