Taking Better Pictures

Check your local community college, they usually run classes like this during the summer and they are pretty reasonably priced.

Reading the manuel does wonders. It's boring as hell, but once you learn the functions of the camera, it helps you decide what settings to use. Softer light, either early morning, or 1-2 hours before sunset are great times to photograph. Also turning off the flash, the flash will add harshness to the pics. Hope that helps.

I second Tori, find a local community college class offering. But if you are like me, I busyness doesn't allow me to attend classes. So, I usually opt for online classes. I googled this and saw this website : http://learntotakephotos.com/. I don't have personal experience with them, but it looks great. Check it out:) And oh, I used to browse pictures on wunderground.com just for fun, but if you join the community they can give you tips, that is if you are into weather/nature photography/

A lot of it has to do with the camera too - make sure you have a great camera and you'll be amazed at what an awesome photographer you are. I'm thinking I want a more advanced camera for me now too. I have Nikon D40 right now as my first DSLR camera, but now I want a nicer one - lol. This one was $500, so I don't want to know what the nicer ones cost!

Check with your Extension office-they offer many classes. Best Buy geeks give lots of good advice!! If you buy an iphone, Apple has classes which can deal specifically with photography.
And after you learn how to take them, learn what to do with them!! I used to sell Creative Memories and was amazed at how many people loaded 1,000's of photos on the computer but never printed them. Heard so many stories of losing every photo they ever had on the computer!! And how many people can sit around your computer and view your photos?? Print some of them occasionally!

I know the place where my husband purchases his cameras off training classes.

I also suggest checking out how to books to learn techniques..

The perfect way would be to take some sort of photo class at a community school. It really makes a huge difference.

I LOVE taking pictures. This book is awesome, totally worth buying..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Photograph-Absolutely-Everyth...
Also, see if there is a photography club in your area. You can meet some great people and get one on one tips from them.

I learned a darned lot from online tutorials and photofraphy blogs... this is one site that I've referenced over and over, but there are many.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/digital-photogr...

I'd search "photography tutorials" and see what you find... the only bad thing about this, and the major problem I've experienced with this self-taught method, is that you don't have anyone to answer your questions. Sure, you can post a question on the blogs, etc., but it's not the same as having a dialog with someone who can explain something to you.

In any case, I have learned a lot through the tutorials.