A car mechanic would not be a 'good one' unless he first learned how to use the tools he has to work with. Nor does a mechanic need every tool that's available to do every job. Knowing -what- to use, -when- to use it, and -how- to effectively use each tool are all critical factors in becoming a good mechanic.
One look at the 'giant' tool box many pros have reveals there's 'a million' tools in there! Be assured that he or she did not instantly know what, when and how to use each tool over night! What seems like eons ago when I and my friends started working on our cars while in high school, we only needed sets of open, closed, and socket wrenches, a variety of screw drivers, pliers, and a hammer or two, and we could fix just about anything we drove. If we didn't have a timing light or brake wrench, one of us usually knew someone who did and was willing to teach us how to use it.
Just as the number of tools needed to be acquired and learned by mechanics has grown greatly over the past 60 years, photography has had an even bigger 'quantum leap' in that time frame. Learning to be a mechanic, photographer, or any other skilled professional all require one to 'start at the bottom' with basic tools. Once they are sufficiently understood enough to become 'automatic', then it's on to the next step. And the next. And another next. And it keeps on going.
No other aspect of photography is more important, or more fundamental than getting proper exposure of an image. From the very beginning, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO speed, AKA, the 'exposure triangle'. Knowing the effects of each of these settings and increasing/decreasing of each is far and away the biggest key to getting the image you want. Knowing when and why to use a large aperture is more important than getting it framed 'just right', for example. While use of any of the 'auto' features of a camera can be used as a learning tool, there are times the computer in the camera is incapable of getting the exposure correct, if at all. That's when knowing what to do becomes important...or miss the shot.
As the OP wants to do mostly landscape photography, I am led to ask, what 'kind' of landscape photography? Taking pictures of a beautiful backyard garden is quite different than taking pictures of the Rocky Mountains that typically requires a lens with longer focal length than your 18-55 lens. Can you get footprints in the snow on the mountain from 5 miles away with your lens? No way. But racing out and buying an 800mm lens would be extremely foolish and incredibly expensive to boot!
As stated by other respondents, the key to becoming a landscape photographer is to first learn and become 'an expert' at using what you have. Learn what it can and cannot do. At the same time, you'll learn what you'll learn what you need, rather than what you want, or what others tell you 'you gotta have...' Of course, buying more camera gear takes some money, sufficient budget, and perhaps skill at hiding the costs from your spouse...
I am no landscape photographer, but I know that the secrets to fantastic, out-of-this-world landscapes are: (1) location; (2) time of the day for best light; (3) time of the year for best light; (4) composition; (5) willingness to get up early, get cold or wet, hike miles or whatever to get to the perfect spot. Compared to those factors, the camera is not much of a factor... you got a good one. For serious landscape work a tripod is essential. Also understanding how light builds up with long exposures, capturing motion of water, some post-processing... you can learn a lot of this on youtube or the internet.
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/37/37091-18fa97e6ac84c47479921254caf164c3.jpg?1734169826)
![[No title]](/data/xfmg/thumbnail/40/40293-6f5ffaecd4c1aac1ffc73bb0972aab51.jpg?1734174705)
