Taking photos under a bright sun

You may think that you do not want the midday sun behind your photography subjects. With the sun behind them, they would be in shadow.

But then if you put the sun behind you and have your subjects face the sun, this photo is what you get. It was impossible for anyone to keep their eyes open!

If the sun is extremely bright and overpowering, your best bet is to put the sun to the side of you and your subjects, or take the photos at a different time of day if possible.