i love photography, but how should i start?

You need to get a camera with the ability to change the shutter speed and aperture manually. If I were you, I'd get a film SLR (single lens reflex), probably a Canon Rebel. It's a good, tough camera, and if you want to go digital, by a Canon camera and you don't have to buy more lenses. Next step is either check local community colleges for photography classes, or check your library. You'll have to learn about reading the light meter in your camera, reciprocity, and aperture and shutter speeds. Your best bet will be to find a class, and pay for the presence of an instructor. The terminology is daunting at first, but eventually, taking correctly focused, correctly exposed pictures is something you wont' have to think about.

There are really a couple of ways you can learn. There are many places you can register for classes. Classes will provide structured instruction, leading you through each step, helping you master that step, then tying that step into the next. These are very helpful, but can be costly. The next is to buy books or check them out at the library. Find every book you can on photography, lighting, posing, etc. Read them as though your life depended on them. Take notes as you read, and have several of them at the same time to cross reference what they are saying. Choose one subject at a time and read on it thoroughly, not moving on until you have it solid in your mind. Practice what you are reading about. This is less structured, more flexible and less costly. Of course, for either of these, you'll need a camera. As was suggested before, you need an SLR, one you can make changes to settings. You can get either a film or digital, the choice is yours. Film will be the cheapest initially. You can find good film SLRs at pawn shops or on eBay for less than $150. There are many good brands, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, Minolta. Find a brand you like and stick with it, it will make life easier later as you switch to digital. You could also start with digital. I suggest this. It will be more expensive up front, but in the long run, it will be cheaper. With a digital SLR, you can take all the pictures you want and view them instantly on your computer. It will make your learning curve easier. With film, you have to take one roll, either 24 or 36, take it to be processed, one hour is expensive while two days is cheaper, then look at your results. Over time the film and processing can be expensive, approximately $6 per roll shot. You can find a good digital SLR for under $700, meaning it would take 90 rolls of film to break even. Nikon makes a new camera, the D40, which costs $499 new. One more advantage to the digital SLR is that it stores the settings with the photo. So, as you look at the picture on the camera, you can also view your shutter speed and aperture. If you use a film camera, you need to record these so you know what you did when you look at them to learn from your photos. One last thing to suggest. Whichever camera you choose, subscribe to Popular Photography magazine, http://www.popphoto.com. They have articles intended for those learning photography. I have gotten more information out of that magazine in my life than all the books I've read combined. Many times, my subscription price has paid for itself in just one magazine with the info I gained. Most of all, have fun. It's a fun interest to pursue.

I think it is good for you to get a book - Digital Photography for Dummies. Don't get me wrong, what I'm saying here is .... the book is for any beginner. Even one who want to know more about photography should read this book!

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Try to buy 2 cameras. One digital and an old one. The photos you take with an digital camera does not have the same quality like the other ones but they are easy to use, you can delete the photos you don't like without problems and you can store a lot on a mini SD, and you can send, store, download them easy.

Try with different sobject, different hours, different light. Then retry and find some upgrade of last foto. And than try try try try...

Follow your instinct...there is no right or wrong when it comes to artistic phorotgraphy, although there are basics on other aspects, but for starters, develop your own style. Camera model, i guess your budget will dictate.

There are courses being offered on Photography. I am not a photographer but I appreciate good photography. I buy magazines like Life, Vanity Fair. They have good photography. There was a feature about a legendary photographer who took the picture of Dutches of Windsor, and many famous people.

What my guru ask me is what field of photography are you in to? Portraiture, landscape, photo journalist and etc. from there you will learn what equipments you really need. and start investing dont end up buying all those equipments that you will not need. Hope this help.

I would suggest taking a continuing education class at your local high school to get some pointers before you buy a camera. Try your local library for some books also.

if you are interested in photography and serious about it, then my advise is to get yourself a Digital SLR. Buy the basic set first - DSLR body plus the standard kit lens. Once you have mastered some techniques, move on to other like flash photographing, other lenses, etc. Learn one at a time, and the best is join some internet online photo forum and go out shoot, shoot and shoot. Learn from mistake and also from other expect. Be inspired by those nice photo in magazine, such as National Geographic, etc.... Times will tell...

First decide on a budget for your camera. From that you can decide what type of camera to buy. A budget between $500-$1000US can get you a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera a Canon Rebel XT, Rebel XTi, 20D all with one 18-55mm lens or NIkon D50, D70, D80. If your budget is below $500US then you can get P&S hybrids (point & shoot) like Fuji FinePix Z9000, Panasonic Lumix Z27 & Z30. These camera have excellent 10x - 12X zoom lens built on them so you don't have to buy any lens seperate. The down side is that you can't change lenses and is stuck with the one built in. Under $300US then you gotta get compact or semi-compact P&S Canon A80, A90, etc Great cams for the price, small, excellent quality.. my first cam was the Canon A80. I still have it and love it.