Digital Photography for Dummies

I know you've seen dozens of sunsets, sunrises, vapour trails, views of the sky through branches of trees, and I know you've seen numerous open books, but I suppose we need to blip these pictures before we progress to more imaginative stuff.

Anyway, here's my open book picture. Is this really what it's like? Digital Photography for Dummies; Photonhead; photographic web sites (searching for inspiration); fiddle with Picasa, PhotoStudio, Photoshop.

Can you really improve your techniques through reading and using software? Could you really, regularly produce pictures that you're truly happy with?

I suspect it's all about practising, practising and practising; being happy with some shots and disappointed with others. Some days are diamonds, some days are stone. I suppose if all this is true then I'm beginning to experience (very) slight improvement (early days)!

Still blipping!