digital - What resources would help me when I'm getting back into photography?

The last time I did photography I was in high school, shooting black and white photos on film with an old, fully manual Nikkormat, and developing and enlarging them by hand.

The world of photography has changed a bit since then (even then, it was pretty retro to have a fully manual camera). I'd like to get back into it, but I'm not sure where to start. Are there any good resources for learning about modern digital photography, helping pick a camera, and learning about the basics of composition, light, color, post-processing, and the like?

Some particular areas I'm interested in are scenic photography, urban and architectural photography, outdoor action photography, and nighttime photography, in case that helps focus the answers (though I realize that is a rather broad set of interests).

Answer

First off, throw away all the advice about what make of camera to buy, photography is a creative act, not a tribal loyalty..

The plain and simple truth is that great photographs are made with all major makes of camera. What matters is to find a camera that fits you, ergonomically and emotionally (and financially). You can only do that by trying out a camera in your hand. So go and haunt your local camera dealers.

Then join a camera club. You will find that their competitions, exhibitions and social activities are an enormous source of stimulus and encouragement. There you will learn that photography is a creative act, that the camera club recognises and rewards creativity, not the brand of camera you carry.

Buy some books about creative photography. Here are some ideas:
Photography and the Art of Seeing by Freeman Patterson
The Photograper's Eye, Design and Composition by Michael Freeman
Learning to See Creatively by Bryan Peterson

You will need some software tools to perform three basic tasks
1) Capture/transfer your photos (usually comes with your camera)
2) enhance and manipulate your photos (Photoshop, Gimp etc)
4) organise your photo collection (Picasa is a low cost way of doing this)

Your photo collection will grow quickly and then you will need to think carefully about storage space and backup procedures.

Photographs must of course be seen so it is worth investing in the very best screen that you can afford.

Finally your good photos should be exhibited, at the very least in your home. That means printing. But you can delay the decision about printing equipment since there are so many reasonably priced printing shops.