How did you learn to take better photos?

[Slyjoe]

So I bought a really nice Nikon D5100, and have had some cracking results, more by luck than judgment, just using Auto mode - oh and auto without a flash mode.....
However, I have not yet moved on to anything much more creative in P A S or M.
I've bought the D5100 for dummies book, but not started it yet.

How did you all get more betterer??? Lessons, clubs, dads, books videos?
There are a few adult learning courses available, but my antisocial work season is about to begin.

So how did it all click for you?

[Slyjoe]

Thanks all so far. What prompted this was; My daughter has been making fantastic stop motion videos, I thought I'd try to help her take it to the next level by making a Time Lapse film. Well, failed at the second hurdle.
We set up the camera on the tripod, put it in A priority, fixed the focus on a point, set the intervalvometer for 2 seconds. One photo later - "subject is too dark"
fk it - go home and read read read......

[Slyjoe]

The "Dummies" book is really good so far - so much more info than the manual itself.
One more question - this is the type of look I like - obviously massively processed, but any idea what this guy is using to produce this effect - I guess they are HDR of some description.

http://500px.com/uxio