learning
As one learns in graphic design to look at text on a page as grey blocks that have to form a balanced picture, I tend to look for simple surfaces that show patterns.
Learning by doing. The most important for learning photography is the lapse between the second and third stage. You have to become detached from the abundance of impressions which are with you at stage one. After some time, these are forgotten, and the picture can speak on its’ own terms. Being conscious of this effect is an important thing to learn.
There are two basic things to be learned: the technical side (aperture, shutterspeed, lenses) and the artistic side. The technics can be learned from a book or a course; the artistic side can be learned in many ways. It is all about developing an eye for an interesting composition. Courses are important for this, but not necessarily photographic courses. I learned most on composition from my graphic design. The point of such a course is that someone gives comments on your images. The most important (sometimes deadly) question is: “Why? — why did you arrange it so and so, did you choose this and this.” Thus, you develop the attitude with which you can yourself handle the third stage of taking pictures: ask yourself “Why?” Here you develop experience.