How to sell photography

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I want to start shooting photography--> But how?

Can someone please offer me an informed way to learn to shoot. I cannot afford schooling, and I would really like to start shooting. What camera, how many lenses, digital or no, what price range to start with, What are shadow boxes and light boxes? How much does it cost to start? THANK YOU!!

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1. Okay ... here's what I would buy and why: Canon Xti kit - good basic camera with average zoom lens EF 50mm f/1.8 II - unbeatable bargain lens (cheap but super fast) 8 gig compact flash memory card ... all told, about $600. Get a "crumpler" camera bag - "5 million dollar bag" for $65. Buy this book: "Understanding Exposure" by bryan peterson ... new total, $700. With this unbeatable kit, you can learn all the basics, do some advanced shooting and go anywhere. It's light, easy to carry and not too expensive. This kit will not get old. You can easily upgrade as your budget allows. Nikon users probably can suggest something just as good - I only suggest Canon because that's what I know. EDIT: Ignore the shadow boxes and light boxes for now. Don't even worry about them. Also, Digital One gave some good advice. Think about what you want to do with photography and what you can afford to spend. There are lots of great pocket cameras for under $200, if that's your thing - but a DSLR is a lot better for the serious student/aspiring photographer.
2. I recommend to anyone seriously contemplating the purchase of a new digital SLR camera to consider these two primary questions: 1. How much money do you have to spend???? $500.? $800.? $1,500.? 2. What level of photography do you aspire to "progress to" in the coming years ? (i.e. basic beginner, intermediate, or professional/business use). For most beginners to intermediates I usually suggest one of these two manufacturers: Canon vs Nikon 1. Canon EOS Rebel model XSi. (Also known as the Canon 450D in Britain) The "kit" package comes with an 18-55mm zoom lens. The camera has pop-up flash, 12.2 Megapixels, and shutter speeds up to 1/4000th, 100-1,600 ISO sensitivity, 7 autoexposure Scene modes, PLUS Shutter Priority, Aperature Priority and Programmed Exposure Modes and Manual. It also has a 3 inch LCD screen, 3.5 frames continous per second max., 9 point AF system, Live View Functioning and the ability to record photos in 3, 6 or 12 Megapixels PLUS numerous other great features found only on more expensive cameras. Wal-Mart is also selling them now for about $799. Sam's Club also has them for $729. I bought one of these 6 months ago and use it as my "back up" camera. I absolutely love it. I have gotten some fantastic photos with it and cannot praise it enough. I routinely enlarge my photos to make 8x10's and 11x14 size enlargements with no noticeable distortion or loss of detail in the pictures. 2. Nikon D-90: If you prefer to use Nikon equipment I strongly recommend the Nikon D-90 which has 12.3 Megapixels, 3 inch monitor with Live View, 200-3,200 ISO sensitivity, 11 point AF system with Face Priority, 4.5 frames per second in continous mode, 5 advanced Scene modes for auto exposure plus Shutter Priority, Aperature Priority, Programmed Auto plus Manual. The D-90 sells for around $900-950. (Body ONLY. The 18-55mm lens cost an additional $150.-175.) Typically, Nikon equipment is slightly more expensive than Canon equipment, but (having owned both Nikon and Canon cameras), I have seldom noticed BETTER quality results using Nikon equipment. You might also consider the Nikon D-40 ($499) kit that comes with the 18-55mm lens. Another great choice is the Nikon D-60 kit ($649) which also comes with the 18-55mm lens. These selections are probably the best choices for any beginner to intermediate skill level, offering the most lenses and other accessories, dealers and places to purchase. I strongly recommend that ALL beginners buy a good book on digital photography AND take a class or two from a Vocational school or Community Education Center in your area. If you can't afford any of this, then I suggest you go to a public or university library and check out some good books on photography. Many libraries have a good selection of books to choose from. There are also several online resources to check out to learn more for FREE. Check these sites out: http://www.picturecorrect.com http://www.cameralabs.com http://www.digital-photography-school.com http://www.theonlinephotographer.com You can also learn more about the technical specifications of each of these Canon and Nokon camera systems at these websites: http://www.usa.canon.com http://www.nikonusa.com Good Luck
3. Learning photography is a lot like learning how to drive a car. Of course you could go out and buy a top of the line BMW just to practice driving. No problem with me! Try something on the lower end of the finance range to start out with. There are digital 'point and shots' that can take some very nice shots in the hands of someone that can put all the basics together. Schooling and learning are not the same thing. You can learn those basics from library books or online. All that data is great if you understand the principles behind them Still, it takes practice to perfect anything. You wouldn't want to jump into the middle of the Indy 500 with just a learner's permit, would you? Sony, Canon, Olympus and Fuji all put out some nice P&S's in the $200-300 range. Simple basics- Composition, lighting and focus. Get focused, stay focused and good luck.