I'm an amateur photographer who enjoys taking photographs of flowers and natural life. I started using a Minolta X31 and have recently upgraded to a Canon 400D.
On weekends I can usually be found near a lake, with a loaf of bread in one hand and my camera in the other :-)
I post on a forum for amateur photographers.. most, if not all are better than me, but you have to start somewhere and these people are very friendly indeed!
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php