What kind of considerations should be made in hive placement in regards to sun and shade through the seasons?

You will want to place the entrance of the hive away from foot traffic. The less foot traffic at the entrance of the hive the better for the bees and you and your friends. You'll need to consider the winter weather in your area and which direction the wind comes from. Face the hive entrance away from strong winter winds. The ideal direction would face somewhere between east and south. It is a good idea that the hive gets some shade in the afternoon in the summer and plenty of sun in the winter months, especially if you live in cold climate. An ideal location is something like under a tree where it will get shade in the summer afternoons (12-3pm) and in the winter it will get sun most of the day when the leaves are gone from the tree. Putting it next to a building or some structure can have the same effect, the east side is best. You may also want to raise it off the ground a few feet so that it is easier to work with. A couple of cinder blocks works well for this.