1. First of all, the digital camera you use should be an slr (single lens reflex) camera that lets you set it to fully manual, and allows for lens changes.

2. Take one basic photography class if possible. It doesn’t have to be an expensive college class or a professional class. It can be a class at your local community center. The most important thing is to have a professional photographer around that you can learn from. It also helps to have others around who are also learning, that way you can learn from them.

3. If you can’t take a photography class (and even if you can) find a photography book that covers the basics of using an slr camera. Read through each chapter once and then go out and shoot. Take it with you when you go out shooting.

4. Download some photography projects from the web that tell you step by step how to shoot various subjects to get different effects.

5. Don’t wait until you have an event to go to learn digital slr photography. They say practice makes perfect, so take your camera, your book or project sheet and go somewhere. It should be a place that you enjoy so it will inspire your creative side.

6. Try shooting different things and in different places. Shoot outdoors scenes, and then shoot indoor closeups of still lifes, like flowers.

7. Play around with the different aperture setting and keep a record of what the setting were on each image. This will help you understand what the different aperture setting do to the image. Once you understand what the aperture does to images, then work on the shutter speed settings. After that work on both of them in combination. If you really want to learn digital slr photography these two are the key to understanding photography and becoming a good photographer.

8. Join a local photography club. These places usually have a mix of beginner to more experienced photographers who are willing to share information.

9. Buy the Nikon D3000 DSLR digital camera. This beginner’s camera from Nikon comes with an in-camera guide that will teach you the basics of photography. It’s like carrying around a book or class inside of the camera. It is an entry level camera for those wanting to learn more about photography, take more professional cameras, and graduate up from the "point and shoot" camera. The Guide mode simplifies things for those just learning about apertures, shutter speeds, infinity and all that other camera lingo. The camera comes with the automatic system as well as the full manual control so after this smart camera teaches you photography, you can go it on your own.
References :
http://www.photographyxfactor.com

These sites will also help you:
http://www.kamerasimulator.se/eng/?page_id=2
http://www.adorama.com/alc/
http://www.cambridgeincolor.com
References :

could be anywhere from a few weeks to years…
References :

it will be good if u plan to take a tutor, also u can take a way to take online lessons from Lynda.com or the internet bloggers on youtube. the also provide good and informative stuff!

as an amature photographer, i will recommend you to start with just Basic photography and dont go in much technicalities in the start like as u mentioned about Lighting and lenses.. this is a bit advance topic considered in photography

once u knows all the basics then move towards the lighting and taking pictures with different lenses. this will not confuse you when u learning the basics.

for camera angles you can follow this link:
http://www.mediacollege.com/video/camera/angles/

but u dont need since u have a film making background..

thats it.. hope i have provided all info related what u have asked!

check my photostream and see u at Flickr then! within a month

http://www.flickr.com/photos/waleedahmed
References :
i myself a photographer!

Both are caused by overexposure, although at different points in the process: solarized prints are produced by grossly overexposing film before development, , while you have to weakly over (or, re) expose the emulsion during development to achieve the Sabatier effect,

The reference to Mann Ray is due to the fact that he and his assistant Lee Miller "rediscovered" the Sabatier effect in about 1929, but generally referring to it, incorrectly, as solarization, thus popularising both the technique and its incorrect designation.

You can simulate these effects (and the other forms of solarization) in PaintShopPro and Photoshop, but few modern emulsions actually respond to these techniques
References :
http://www.cchem.berkeley.edu/wljeme/Chapt1.html

What you are talking about is called the Sabattier effect.

http://pworkshop.tripod.com/sabattier.htm
References :
proFotog