Never allow the sun to be a backdrop. Turn up the brightness if you are using a smartphone. I always used a digital camera until the smartphones became technologically advanced to show a bright enough screen to be able to view the shot outdoors. Smartphones have auto focus nowadays. If you point the phone down at the ground, it will adjust the exposure.
Tip #1 Do not spend a lot of time focusing.
Tip #2 Avoid flash whenever possible, even at night.
Using flash at night can often make your shot darker in many situations.
At night, you may want to take bracket shots.
Tip #3 WYSIWYG; if the picture you just took does not look right on your view screen, then it will not look right on your report.
Tip #4 Take extra shots; just because it looks great on your smartphone or digital camera's small view screen, does not mean it will look great, sharp, and clear on your report. If using a smartphone, unpinch your fingers and look at the detail.