Film SLR

[weary]

best way to learn is just from playing w/ it, the guides are great too, but get out there, get a notebook, right down your setting for each shot and play.... (yeah it gets really expensive)

Well, film photograph is always expensive. But try to learn a bit before heeding Gaiter's advice. His way certainly works, but you can cut a decade or two off the learning process, if you read a bit first.

Weary

[tammons]

I agree, among other things especially learn aperture and how it affects depth of field and when to use which aperture.
That is one of the main keys of getting spendid photographs.

How aperture relates to depth of field per the lens length.

Speed vs aperture vs film speed.

Film grain. In color film I want as little as possible. B+W usually too, but I really like 3200 grainy film at times.

What is the minimum speed you can hand hold per lens length.

As mentioned above the sunny 16 rule is good to know, but pretty much locks you into one depth of field.

General natural lighting and the best light to shoot in, IE the magic hours.

When to overexpose and when to underexpose and how much.

When you should use a tripod.
When to use a cable release.
When to use mirror lock up if your camera has it.

After you figure those few things out practice a bit and you should be good to go.
A lot more to learn but that will get you started.

You should strive to get image as good as these....
One of many on the web

http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1184522

Link to a whole list of learning links.

http://photo.net/learn/

[weary]

You should strive to get image as good as these....
One of many on the web

http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1184522

Many thanks for the link. I've messed with photography since about the age of 10. These photos make me realize how unskilled I am.

Weary