Ask HN: Beginning Photography

Do any of you have any suggestions on books, web sites, or other resources for starting out in photography?

I need a hobby that doesn't involve staring at PHP code and stimulates the left side of my brain, and I think photography is something I'll enjoy. Being a tech nerd, I'd like to delve into as much as I can about the art and science of photography, from camera settings to post-processing. This hobby seems to be frequently found among tech geeks, so I'm hoping to find some great resources that aim to help the technical/hacker mindset.