The camera is everything,Thats your main source to start with. A high end camera save you many hrs of photoshop work. White Balance is another problem. WWW.expodisc.com
Lighting use 5000K bulbs a brite room with them bulbs makes things come out super even on a poor camera. Not all but most depends on how cheap your camera is.
Bright Pictures flash is to high,dark-flash to low=again lighting.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 will solve alot of screw ups.
If shes cute send them to me i'll repair them.