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So I was considering taking up photography as a hobby. I'm a poet and I am often arrested by the beauty of nature, but words can only represent so much. I was wondering if there are any photographers here that could tell me anything about it. I'm only debating it because of the high cost of a good camera. I mean if I suddenly find that the art of photography isn't for me then thats a lot of money wasted. I really need some visual content to compliment the poetry of my DeviantArt Page
-Massacre
Like you've said, it's an expensive hobby. But until you know that it's for you- it doesn't have to be. The biggest mistake a lot of people make is to get their hands on a $500-$2000 digital SLR that they're not going to like if they actually end up learning how to use it, and then prance about taking pictures of things in auto mode and horrifically editing them in photoshop to express their artistic side. True story.
Well what does ^ really accomplish? If you're on 100% automatic, the only thing you're doing (if you're actually doing it) is manually focusing your camera. This is stupid, and you won't learn anything about photography by pretending to be a photographer and keeping it on auto. I'm not accusing you, just stating that the majority of people are like this.
Some important things for a beginner to learn about will be aperture and depth of field, shutter speed, ISO, focus, and white balance. There are probably a few I'm missing out on but learning these as individual concepts and being able to tweak them is what IMO will enable you to make that leap from mindless-point-and-shooter to amateur photographer. So my best advice to you is to get your hands on a good photography book (or website, depending on what you come across that teaches you successfully- I somehow ended up with what I consider a relatively decent book called PHOTOGRAPHY: THE CONCISE GUIDE by BRUCE WARREN that I recommend) and find a way to get your hands on a DSLR without paying full-price or at all for one. You can do this by renting, borrowing, by buying used, or by taking a photography course where the camera is made available to you. In my highschool photography class we were provided with shitty megazooms and a couple of DSLRs. If you like the idea of a class, check before signing up because some require your own DSLR (like my college intro course).
It might be a long shot to find someone who will let you borrow their DSLR (someone as in a friend or acquaintance), but if you find someone who knows what they are talking about they may be able to give you quick lessons and advice, too. I've done this for a couple of friends.
One of the huge benefits of actually taking a photography course is that the majority of them focus first on regular old film SLRs. While an apparent pain in the ass, and in itself money-spending on top of the course fee, I think this is a good route for anyone who really needs the hands-on approach to learning about photography. When it comes to exposure I think this is the absolute best way to learn. When it comes to shutter speed and aperture and ISO and etc., digital is the way to go imo.
So: Yes, it's an expensive hobby. Before you dive into it and commit hundreds of dollars, try to get a feel for it and see if you enjoy it. See if you can get into an introductory class (and remember to base your enjoyment of photography on the concepts of photography, not on the teacher) or if you can get someone to at least let you borrow their camera (keep in mind they might be one of those automorons I mentioned above- but they've at least got a cam!). Try to read up on everything you can to understand the basics of exposure, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance. Try your hand with a camera and see if you can really get into it, or if it's not for you. Once you've done ^, come back for more advice :D