Chapters of information can, and have been written on this subject. Such procedures are especially important if the brochure contains skin tones or other objects (eg, sky, trees, articles for sale, etc.) that absolutely MUST come out with the correct color. Achieving this involves setting up a fully color managed work flow, including both your monitor and your printer, calibrating the printer, generating and using a color profile for your particular combination of machine, inks and paper, etc..
Since all of that sounds unlikely in your situation, lets start with the simplest approach likely to yield reasonable results:
1. As a test, take a picture of someone outside on a bright, sunny day with a relatively modern digital point and shoot or cell-phone camera set to the "complete idiot" mode. Contrary to the usual instructions, let the sun be directly in their face - let them squint. We are only interested in brightness and color for this little exercise. If you can't do this, use the attached news photo off of the web.
2. Transfer the jpg file to the computer to which the printer is connected. Don't make ANY changes to the file. Display the file using some software program designed for the masses to view and print photos, e.g., Google's Picasa or one of the utilities that the mfgr bundles with your OS. Don't even think about using PS, PS Elements, or any more advanced image editor (yet).
If the image looks reasonable on the monitor, you can proceed directly to the next step. If it doesn't, try to adjust the brightness, contrast and color controls on the monitor till the image looks as realistic as it you can get it. If you skip this step, you will have absolutely zero idea if your monitor is misleading you or not when you get to the important image.
3. Print the file using the same consumer software that you just used to crudely calibrate the monitor. If the printer driver (NOT the viewing software) allows you to adjust any of following, do so: color space / mode = sRGB, quality = maximum. If this produces an acceptable print, you can test reduced quality settings (translation, lower dpi) to try to save some ink for your big printing run.
4. Using the same settings, print one copy of your brochure as a test. If it's acceptable, fine. If not, adjust the brightness, contrast, color, etc. in the simple photo editor (eg, Google's Picasa, not the printer driver) till you get a reasonably good looking test print. Note, this is the stage at which the simple-minded calibration of the monitor that you did a few minutes ago becomes important. If you can get a print close enough to satisfy you, run your large print job.
HTH,
Tom
