High Dynamic Range in a single photo wo. post processing?

Problem : Run into a lot of high dynamic range situations where the blue sky is washed out and shaded areas appear black. Typically I use my camera's HDR scene mode, or its AEB + HDR software, to cut the exposure on bright areas & increase it on the dark areas.

Proposed Solution : Looking for informational resources, such as books and/or Internet articles on the subject. Trying to manage the high dynamic range situations using technique & simple technology (e.g. exposure, aperture control).

Example: Zooming can crop out over or underexposed parts of the composition.

Bottom Line : Want to rely more on my skill (or develop it), instead of relying on technology. Just need to be pointed in the right direction.