Originally Posted by carregwen

1. Take out a heavy mortgage to pay for all the lenses you will find that you 'must have'.
2. Buy a reasonably good camera. But if you can, always buy better quality lenses - if you have that mortgage.
3. Canon/Nikon cameras and Sigma lenses are a good and cheaper option if mortgage funds are hard to get, like they are now!
4. Read reviews.
5. Go to a proper camera shop, get advice, try them out with different lenses on.
6. Think of a figure, then double it for the first two years. That is what you will probably spend.
7. Take out a second mortgage!
8. Local courses will help if you need practical and software skill development. Judging from your age you won't think much of camera clubs. Camera club members, being older, don't have mortgages.

I bet that didn't help at all...