I have always enjoyed taking pictures from the day my dad created a dark room and my first camera (a twinlens 120 ~ can't recall the name but alas have no more). I have always been more attracted to nature photos; animals, plants, shapes, shades, panoramics, etc...
I have dreams about expanding my hobby to something more, but I am not yet ready or willing to abandon my reality. And everything I have read warns against it for some reason or another... So I am looking for that fine line between reality and the dream; improve, explore, then see if this works for me.
What I am looking for is how to take my hobby beyond the pictures of the family camping trip, hike or bike ride to sharing/posting/selling it with the community and possibly making a dollar or two (and maybe at some point a living). I am unsure of what niche I like best so I would like to explore and see what I like and what sells. I also feel constrained by the point and shoot cameras that I own; I want to get closer (zoom or macro), shoot wider angles and use filters, etc... I like digital because I can take a lot of pictures without the cost of film.
With what do I take the pictures with; something that will allow me to grow and I can grow with (digital or film) ?
With whom do I share/sell it with ?
Can you recommend any Books or reference that will help with this challenge ?
Dreaming a possibile impossibility.