Shutter button issues with non-techies

If you press the button down all the way, the camera does not refocus the lens from the last picture taken. So if I shoot a landscape picture, which focuses as far away as it can, and then have someone shoot a pic of us in front of that landscape, we will be blurry, but the background is in focus.

I don't usually let others use my camera unless I know or can reasonably assume (like they're using a comparable camera to mine or one better than mine) they have some photo-taking skills. Therefore I employ a 3-legged helper: my tripod with the self-timer of the camera turned on.

With 10 seconds available, I've been able to shoot groups of 55 kinfolk with me included--all in good focus.

If you forgot your tripod, try a pocketable minipod or use some reliably solid device nearby, like a picnic table, a large flat rock (be careful that it's really flat), a lowered tailgate, etc.

Most point an shoot digital cameras will have adjustment options for far objects, near objects, etc. and the more advanced models will have options for shutter priority and aperture priority. The solution ''trick'' to your problem is to set the camera for a great ''depth of field'', e.g. with near and far objects both in focus. This means setting your camera for far objects (usually the mountain icon) or setting a small aperture or lens opening at the aperture priority option. This way, the camera will focus automatically at infinity. Camera shake may be a problem here, so indicate to your ''helper'' to press the shutter button slowly down. There are cameras with "image stablizer" to aviod this. (sorry for the technial terms if you are not at home with them. You can find out more via Google.)