>>3871705Good pictures exist out there in the world, a camera is just the means of capturing them.
A phone camera is good enough for snapshots and capturing pictures of un-challenging scenes. (un-challenging meaning plenty of light, nothing moving too fast, no extreme bright or dark areas, nothing too far away)
If your desire is just to make a record of beautiful things you see, a phone camera will probably do very well for you, and I recommend starting by using the one you have with you to practice composition*.
Finding photographers and painters you like and reflecting on *why* you like a particular piece will aid in developing an artistic eye.
Eventually you will probably find you are dissatisfied with your phone camera: the glowing moon on a clear night is just a blurry blob, the brilliant colors of the summer sunset are warped and dull, you cannot get a flattering portrait of your friend or lover, etc.
Then it's time to look at buying a camera.
Similarly, if your philosophy is not about "taking photos" and more about "making photos", like the pros or a studio, you will want an actual camera.
I would recommend getting a digital camera with manual controls (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), a cheap 50mm 1.8 "prime" lens, a camera strap (if none is provided), a tripod, and lens filters such as a polarizer. You can later get wide-angle or telephoto lenses as well.
Buying used allows your dollar to go farther and get higher quality gear.
Once you at least have your camera and one lens, read the manual. There are PDFs available on-line if needed. While you're there, read about the exposure triangle to understand how photography works.
If you know the exposure triangle and your camera, you know how to get the image you want when you're standing in front of it.
If you know composition, you know where to stand.
*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_(visual_arts) 
