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Not to directly contradict Mark, but it's not the camera, it's the photographer.
I've gotten a lot of good feedback from this website regarding my photos so here is what I have done to try and be the best shooter I can be. This is what has worked for me.
First, and most importantly, get a camera that will not overtly limit what you can do. There are a lot of cheap cheap cheap digital cameras out there now that shoot awesome photos, have one lens that zooms from tight macro shots to long telephotos and look good doing it. Decide if you can work with this, and then later move up, or if you want to start out with an interchangable-lens system with just one or two lenses and progress from there. Personally I started out with a cheap film camera and two zoom lenses. One 35-70 with a macro feature, and a 70-210 used lens that I almost never used because it was so cruddy (had been broken once and barely repaired before I bought it cheap). Most important factor, getting a flexible camera system that will let you discover what types of shots you like to take.
Next, take a camera course. Photo 101. I took a simple course from a community college back when I was in high school. Loved it. We shot on black and white film and I discovered the joys of Tri-X and it's funky grains. I learned more from this class then I have learned from anywhere else in my life since. This was in the days before digital. But we shot in black and white for a very simple reason. There are things you need to learn about what makes a good photo, and what makes a snapshot. If you shoot color, you have a lot of things to worry about such as color balance and temperature, how colors interact with each other, the color wheel and how to use it, trying to figure out why colors you "see" never match colors that the camera "sees", and more. If you are starting out shooting black and white, you have a distinct advantage. You can concentrate on shapes, textures, repitition of form, tones, grain, and all the things that are present in all photos. You can ignore the headache of adding color to the mix until you take Photo 201. And more importantly, because black and white takes out a lot of factors, you can find out what kind of photographer you are. Are you a natural shooter? Are you a natural at printing? Can you save a shot that you screwed up in-camera? Can you ruin a shot by printing it badly? Photography is more than just pointing and shooting. That is only 50% or less of the whole process. So my advice is to take a beginner photo course that shoots in black and white. Preferably in film. All digital terms are film-based anyway, so you might as well get some hands-on education about what these terms really mean (like burning and dodging).
I was then lucky enough to get work as a freelance photographer's assistant for two years. Worked with many different types of shooters doing mostly magazine ads. Tabletop setups, room scene setups. Things you see in catalogs. I learned how to light things under the best of circumstances. Wish the wall was longer? Get a longer wall in there. Need a different color for the floor? Install a different floor.
A few years after this, I was lucky again to get a position as head Director of Photography with a video production company. This is like shooting in the worst of circumstances because it was 90% on-location and under the gun. We shot a weekly magazine-style format TV show and tons of corporate videos and commercials. Translation, I had to shoot and light different locations 4-10 times a week, with a few hours notice or no notice, with limited batteries and help, limited time for interviews, but with practically no limit on what I wanted to shoot. Factories, hospitals, small bedrooms, large halls, pools, climbing walls, county fairs, boats. Basically anything you can think of I had to shoot. I was vastly underqualified at first, but quickly got up to speed thanks to a great $70,000 camera and lens, and several thousand dollars worth of lighting equipment, and the ability to think on my feet. It was all at my disposal and I could basically shoot whatever I wanted (since I was the DP). Of course, the success or failure was all on me also, and I had to keep my director, producer and sponsors all happy. So I quickly learned how to light and shoot beautfully almost anywhere, quickly, and how to make shots that I liked, and shots that I thought my betters would like too. Because some things I was forced into shooting against my will, I learned how to work with that. And because I had to keep some people happy who weren't me, I learned how to work with that too. I learned to really listen to what clients wanted, and to make my suggestions in a way that made the ideas sound appealing. I also learned to take the ideas of others and translate them into what is and what is not possible. I learned the joys of storyboarding (which I still do all the time for photos), and how pre-production will save your life once you are on-location. I did this for about five years with two different companies for bad pay and good pay respectively.
All of these things translate to photography. Now I have the confidence to shoot anywhere on no notice and do a great job with whatever equipment I have access to. I have learned what camera moves I can make and what are more difficult. I have learned to "cover" events, meaning, get the wide shots, and also get the shots that you want to get (the details), so that you know you have covered an event completely. That way, if some shots just don't work out, you have the wides.
I also learned to pay close attention to the time of day, for outdoor shoots, and to pay attention to location-lighting. A lot of times you can use location lighting for your shots. Especially if you are shooting black and white because then the colors of the cruddy flourescents don't matter.
I also learned how to be resourceful. Now, this is something that is almost in direct contradiction to how things are in photography. With video production, you can rig two pipes and a few bags with bungee cords and hope, and have a great on-car camera rig. With photography, it seems that you have to buy the "Professional Photographer's Car Camera Rigging System". So I have tried to bring a lot of resourcefulness to my world of photography. The stuff I make for my own needs is often better than the kits or equipment you can purchase from Calumet or B&H, anyway.
Blah blah blah. So how does all of this translate to a new budding photographer? I would recommend the first two things again. Get a camera that won't limit you. You don't need top of the line if you are just starting out. And actually, it is better to start out with a camera that doesn't have every feature in the book. Then you can REALLY decide what you need and what you just kind of want, meanwhile saving money in the process. Then take a camera course for the basics. Then place yourself in situations where you normally would never be in. Go to a Farm Combine Demolition Derby. You will get the best shots of your life. Shoot inside a cramped flourescent-lit cubicle. See what shots you can get in there that are actually good. Shoot from a moving car. Shoot in or near water. Have someone ask you to shoot something. And then do it, even if it is lame. All these situations will be a difficult challenge and will teach you that hard core experience that the others were referring to.
And maybe more important than anything, take shots that you want to take. There is no right or wrong kind of shot, ultimately. Only shots that others can or can't relate to (depending on the viewer). Learn to take criticism. Learn to spend hours perfecting a baby of a photo, only to throw it out because you figure out finally that it sucks. Learn to hear someone say that your shot sucks because you can't see something that they want to see. Learn human nature, how people view photos, and what your goals are with photography.
All of these steps should be taken in order. You can't really jump around too much. Of course, anyone can go out and get a Nikon D100 and a set of kick-butt lenses and start snapping shots of their kids. But will anyone like those shots? Probably only the shooter will.
Good luck. And keep shooting.
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