Some one with far more experience will come along shortly
For positioning the sheep as you shear, your aim is to have it in such a position that the skin is stretched, and you are never trying to shear over a concave surface. So for each bit you turn and move the animal, and move around it yourself, so that you are both in the best position - for one side, this position does have the sheep on its side. Learning the positions is the most difficult bit of shearing in the beginning
The best way is to watch someone else shearing, then have a go, then watch them again - and so on. There are videos around - I think The Singing Shearer here has one.
L&M - I think the wording just came out wrong
People worry about cutting sheep more when hand shearing, but you get such a clear view, and the pace is whatever suits you, so I agree - no cuts