Learning Photography

I own an LX3 intending to have something that can do a bit of manual controls. I dont have any money to go down the film route right now so I think I will read the thread on digital..

Film photography is cheaper than you think. You also really learn about exposure, as a wrong exposure will be very obvious in a print, and that itself will teach you what didn't work. Its only a suggestion, but if you get the opportunity, at least consider a cheap film camera that has full 35mm manual operation. Film can be cheap, and so can d+p (developing and processing packages) - examples below.

Film and d+p
http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=5741
http://www.club35.co.uk/35mmcolourdandp.html

Cheap 35mm cameras
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/vintage-fujica-stx-1-35mm-film-slr-camera/84416525
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/nikon-f50-35mm-film-camera-with-nikkor-35-80-af-zoom/81736185
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/nikon-f65-35mm-slr-film-camera-w-af-nikkor-28-80mm-lens/84698865

Its harder to grasp digital exposure, as the camera will inevitably make corrections for you. With a manual film camera, the print will tell you how well or badly you did. Improvements can be made from roll to roll, and soon you would understand over-exposure and under-exposure perfectly.

Of course I am biased towards film photography, but I do believe that someone that learns exposure using film cameras, understands it better than someone who has learnt via the digital route only.

Otherwise, there are online courses that may be helpful to you.