Here's a good place to start. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5042646 Many cameras offer the ability to adjust the various exposure controls but the choice can come down to what feels best to you, fits your hand, fits your budget, etc. Also, to the extent you can narrow your interests, it's perhaps possible to narrow through the many possible choices. It might be worthwhile discussing this with co-workers, if any of them have more experience..
Photography is not as complicated as it can seem at times. You'll be able to get to grips with using the aperture and shutter speed on all but the cheapest cameras. These introductions should help you: .
What is aperture:http://www.photography-art-cafe.com/what-is-aperture.html .
What is shutter speed:http://www.photography-art-cafe.com/what-is-shutter-speed.html I would advise choosing a Nikon or Canon camera; there are other great makes but these 2 are the safest bets, plus they are the most popular so getting advice from other photographers will be easier. They each have an entry level range with cameras that are easy to use, quite cheap and have enough mega pixels to produce high quality pics that can be printed as posters..
Amy, You have left the door rather wide open for suggestions as you haven't defined any particulars you wish to have in a potential camera candidate. Are you looking to stay with a smaller point-n-shoot digital camera or prefer to take the jump to a dSLR? Do you want the ability to operate the camera's settings manually or would you be happy enough with the camera making most of the decisions? Do you have a budget in mind? The one thing I can state is that megapixels are not that important as any modern camera, whether point-n-shoot or dSLR, is going to have more than enough pixels for about any need you might encounter. The best thing you could do for yourself would be to sit down, note the particular features you want or think you want, and then take that list to a local camera shop and speak with someone who can guide you through the purchasing process. They should be able to help explain how a given camera can meet your preferences or steer you in a direction that will help you find the right camera for you. I'm personally more than happy to offer my two-cents worth regarding selecting a camera, but to truly be helpful I would need and want a list of features for which you are looking, a list of the sorts of things/events you believe you would want to photograph, and a budget..
The internet has endless information of photography. Just type what you are seeking in the search, e.g., photography art. The art in photography is in the eye of the shooter and the subjects are all around you, the light, angles, positions all make a difference. I carry a small point & shoot Canon 780 with me so I don't miss that special opportunity. I have three more cameras for planned activities. I have underwater cameras for the beach and pool shots.
Editing equipment really helps turn photographs into art. Your can download Googles Picasa for free. I recommend Adobe Elements for beginners, plus they have a good web site with tutorials and supporting magazine. On the higher end I have CS5 and Lightroom, Aperture is also good. Remember the old saying beauty (art) is in the eyes of the beholder, which you already have..