Where do you go from here?

Those three elements are the very basics of photography. There can be much more (if you want), but this is where everyone who’s serious about photography ought to (in my not-so-humble opinion) start.

There are many many other aspects that you will eventually learn that affect how you make your photographs. Lenses are one, different lenses do different things to a photograph. Filters might be another. It used to be darkroom techniques would help you, now it’s more likely to be Photoshop (or my favorite program, LightZone).

The first thing that I would recommend you do is pick up a copy of The Confused Photographer’s Guide to Photographic Exposure and the Simplified Zone System. That book explains how your camera’s light meter sees a scene and why you need to know when to override it. And it explains it in a manner that is more easy to understand than anything else I’ve ever read on the subject.

Another book that I highly recommend is on composition. Designing a Photograph: Visual Techniques for Making Your Photographs Work.

But the most -- MOST -- important thing is simply to get out and make photographs. Make them for yourself, and for nobody else. Don’t listen to the photo-snobs that say you have to have such-and-such gear to make photos and if you don’t you’re somehow inferior.
And look. Look at every photograph you come across. Look at how it was composed, where the light’s coming from, what kind of depth of field it has, and if it incorporates motion blur.
And see. See everything around you. Make a point to stop, anytime something catches your eye, and make the photo (Just don’t blame me if you lose your job because you stopped for a photo).

Get out at all times of the day and night. A photo of a building at 1 p.m. may look terrible. A photo of the same building, taken from the same angle may be amazing right before sunset (or maybe just after, if they’ve got good looking lights that come on).

After a while get an account with a site like Flickr if you want and post some of your work, invite folks to comment.

Never stop shooting, never stop learning. And most of all enjoy your photographs.