Harsh Sunlight

Taking pictures in the middle of the afternoon when there is harsh sunlight can be very difficult to do, but not impossible. Last weekend while at the beach with the Jones', I shot some family portraits for them at about 5pm in the blazing hot sun. So I immediately tried to figure out how to get them or myself in some shade (so the sun wouldn't be glaring into my lens). I also usually like to have a dark background behind my subjects so I can expose for their skin much nicer. Here's the pictures that I thought were keepers: