Welcome, Michele ! I hope you'll have a nice time on this forum....I'm sure you will :) Anyway, I think I can give you a bit of advice. They're just some humble tips and hints, cause eventhough I'm (next to design) a photographer, there are so much better photographers than me on this earth :) - First off all, don't ever ever ever work with a digital camera. I don't mean this as a rant againt digital photography, but especially when you are still learning it is ESSENTIAL to learn all aspects of photography in the old fashioned analog way. Normal film and cameras can punish you very hard for your mistakes, but they also give you some amazing rewards as soon as you start learning from your own mistakes. - Second thing is just to take as much photos as you can, depending on your budget and time. - Try to shoot as many things as you can. Sunsets, people, whatever you can. At some point you'll see in what area you are just excellent and that's the way to go....maybe it's nature shooting or studio work, or maybe a lot of stuff together. Whatever you like to do, give the things you don't really like at first sight a good/fair chance. - Invest more money in film than in material. I made more improvement when moving from $2 negative film to $15 slide film that I did when I got a new lens, filters or whatever. - Unless you want to do fashion photography, don't waste your time on being the assisent of a professional photographer. Most are just arrogant and use you to get their drinks, but hardly anyone is down-to-earth enough to share their knowledge with you. - Take your camera everywhere you go...period. If you don't wanna carry your stuff around (I just can't cause of the weight....camera and one telephot are too heavy) get some small camera, and take photos of everything you notice! From that point on you will learn to see every single thing in life as an opportunity for a good photo! If you'll learn that you'll never get rid of that feeling.....you WILL be able to shoot anything that you see....the stuff that usually passes by even before you can turn on your camera. - Save time and go to a lot of exhibits, and like me, waste piles of money on books and (good!) magazines and learn from other people's mistakes. - It's almost the same as everything above, but let me say it like this: Photography is not a profession, it's a way of life. I don't know about other people, but my profession is (graphic) designer, but I aaaaam a photographer. (It's not up to me to decide if I'm good or not, but at least I'm am one :) You see, my girlfriend has been a model, but that was just to earn enough money to make music for the rest of her live....if you can accomplish a state of mind like that (I hope I can someday ;) you'll never have to doubt about what you want to do when you grow up...hehe :) It's so nice to read someone's so passionate for something! Go for it! If you don't do it, you'll regret it for every single day of the rest of you live....there's nothing worse than a missed chance. (believe me on that one) Take care....hope to hear a lot of you =)