I've used a lot of different equipment over the years both film and digital. I think the most important lesson I learned was from using film when development was expensive and I was broke. Start by taking a good picture. It is easy now to just fire off 30 or 50 shots knowing you'll likely get lucky with one or two. Post production software makes even bad camera jocks look good some of the time. The skill of knowing your lighting and composition as well as what story you want to tell is where the creativity comes in. It's also where the biggest personal rewards are found.
That said I start with the best shot I can get straight from the camera and consider myself lucky to have a full darkroom at my fingertips for minor fixes and learning. Taking lots of pictures also has its place as a great way to get good with your equipment, and with digital you can take as many as you want. I think the unlimited practice can help folks who pursue it get better, faster.
There is also of course the adage that the best camera you have is the one you have with you.
