I tell you one thing: start making mistakes!! A thing that's very important that you can be the critic of yourself. Just start having pictures that satisfy your eyes, than think about other's impressions.
I tell you that is very important to understand what you're going to capture, so before aiming with the eye into the camera, look at what you're seeing and analyze: which WB? Whic DOF is necessary? Which time do I need? Etc. etc.
Than open your picture and analyze once more it, thinking about what you like and what you would like to change. Than go to the EXIF data and try and understand what went wrong.
There are no written rules, but only words that MIGHT help you. You can read even for all your life, and I think that it's a good practice, but take pictures.
It's not easy, but that's the way!!
I quoted the whole message because it's so good. I do have some different ways of looking at it.
Rule #1, remove the lens cap. :mrgreen:
OK back to guidelines and things that run through your mind, eventually they become unconscious.
First thing, is never stop learning new things. Before you can be creative, you need to nail down the essentials and the basics. You crawl before you walk, walk before you run, and when you are running, you start going for more speed and distance. Same with photography.
Build on a solid foundation. It can't help you to read and change things, if you don't have a solid understand of the basics. It's the boring part for some. The understand of ISO, aperture and shutter speed and how each one relates to the others, and how each variable effects the results is absolutely necessary knowledge.
Does your camera have a letter "P" or "Auto"? Ignore them and start thinking. :thumbup: The three basic variables are your essential tools. You camera has only three modes, AV, TV and Manual.
I translate make mistakes into = EXPERIMENT. Be free of limitations and following a precise set of unvarying rules. After you get the shot you think you want, change some settings, look again and re-take it. Don't be happy with getting the shot, try to see other variations.
Look at the EXIF data on the shots you like, and look at the ones you don't like, so you can set in your mind, what caused things to happen the way they did. (or not work the way you wanted them) Here's where I go a little off the usual, but we can't remember everything. Get a pocket notebook... TAKE NOTES! You can go back to your notes, and if you are taking some notes while you are shooting, you can go back to the EXIF data and compare to your notes. This will reinforce what you see and do and enhance your learning.
And that last one, which I always like to include as the punctuation for anything else. If you are too serious and wrapped up, you can't be free to express yourself. Enjoy yourself, it will show in your photos and visualizations. HAVE FUN!