If you are shooting towards the
light you might be getting some flare, particularly if sunlight is hitting your front element. The images will have reduced contrast (look 'washed out') and maybe look a bit bright. A
lens hood can help in eliminating this, as will keeping your
lens elements clean. Older
lenses tend to be more prone to flare as they didn't have the coatings that more recent models use.
While some of Ken's info is good I'd recommend some caution as Ken can be a bit 'different' at times. For example, (from memory) I think he likes to ramp up his colour and contrast settings. Do you have the 'official'
Nikon user guide? If not you can download it from
here. Manuals tend to be pretty heavy going - it will tell you how to set anything but often don't really explain why / when you should be using a particular setting. I sometimes load a manual onto my phone so I have it with me for reference if I need it.
It might be worth keeping an eye out for a bargain priced copy of the "Magic Lantern Guide" or "Digital Field Guide" for the D200 (ebay, used book stores, etc). These go into more detail about when and why you might want to use different settings with examples etc. If you hunt around you might even find a version online.
Cheers.