The one trick that sometimes works is to try the shot with little or not sun-sky in the background(crop it out of the lens). With a Point and shoot it's usually all auto.

But there's not many miracles yet in digital to fix that drastic level between light and dark. We get to fudge it a little in the processsing software but it still takes the right light to get the best image.

I try to time my shots, backtracking after a few hours, and occasionally... that works out.

It would be nice to be paid to be there when the light is best.