The best way to learn photography still is with a manual 35 mm camera. It does nothing for you except give you the tools to take great photos. It doesn't focus for you, it doesn't set the aperture or shutter speeds, it doesn't advance the film. It's a hands-on artist's instrument that will teach you compose photos, determine the settings and become a good photographer.
Basics
The basic 35 mm manual camera has interchangeable lenses, shutter speeds to at least 1/500th of a second and sometimes a built-in light meter. It also has a film counter, film wind knob, an accessory shoe and a sync socket. Start with a basic 50 mm lens and 400 ISO film. This will give you a "normal" view, that is, the lens "sees" at the same size ratio as the human eye. The 400 ISO speed film will give you a wide range of exposure latitude. Place the film cartridge in the chamber and thread it evenly to the take-up reel. When you are certain it has caught, wind it again and then shut the film door. Wind the film in until the film counter reads "1." Set the film speed to 400. This usually is done on the shutter speed dial or on a separate dial. You are ready to shoot.
Compose
Take the camera outside and carry extra rolls of film in your pockets. Start with a simple image first, such as a flower, up close. Focus the lens with the focus ring. Now you need to set the exposure. If you have a built-in meter of the "match needle" variety (a needle on the side of the viewfinder that swings up and down according to how much light is coming through the lens), set the shutter speed to the highest speed, around 1/500th of a second if it's a bright, sunny day. While looking through the viewfinder, turn the aperture ring on the lens. The range of apertures on a 50 mm lens usually will be between f/1.8 and f/22. On a bright day, it will need to be "stopped down" to f/22 or near that. As you stop down the aperture, the match needle will swing. It should be right in the middle for a correct exposure. If your camera does not have a built-in meter, you can get a handheld meter. The principle is the same: set the film speed on the meter, then hold it at just in front of the subject to be photographed. The needle will swing to the appropriate point, and then you set the shutter speed and aperture dials to match it. Take that reading and set the camera to those numbers.
Experiment
Experiment with other lenses and film speeds. The point of a 35 mm single-lens reflex camera is that it can take lenses from very wide angles to long telephotos. Especially with long telephoto lenses, you may need to use a tripod to steady the camera for clear shots. Both wide-angle and telephoto lenses will allow less light into the camera, so faster film may be necessary. Film speeds generally range from 100 ISO, which is relatively slow, to 3,200 ISO, which is very fast but typically grainy. The best speed for outdoor work is generally 200 to 400 ISO. Faster films are better for low-light situations. Another aspect of the 35 mm manual film camera is that, especially if you shoot black and white film, you can develop it yourself. Learning shoot photos with a manual 35 mm camera will teach you better use the most modern, auto-everything digital SLR, too, because once you learn "see" photos and know what the exposures should be from long practice, you can manipulate the digital camera to get the same kinds of results.
Tags: manual camera, shutter speed, 500th second, built-in meter, camera does, camera that, film counter