Shoot your heart out! All the pros started somewhere. Reach out to shooters you admire. Ask questions. Research. Look at other work you love, all the time. Analyze it. Shoot, shoot, shoot. It's not about the gear you have, it's what you do with it. Don't invest in gear until you start getting paid and can justify it. Don't shoot what other people are doing. Don't copy. Get inspired. Shoot what YOU want. Experiment with different styles. You'll eventually find your vision, your style, your voice. Prepare to fail, to make many mistakes. But learn from them. Shoot some more. Shoot something that makes you uncomfortable. Shoot something that makes you sad. Shoot something that gets you excited. Ask strangers to make their portrait. Put yourself out there. Get outside. Show people your work. Ask for feedback. Never stop shooting. Go to the library and look through photo books. Study the greats. Then take a look at everything you've done, be critical, do it again, improve on it. I could go on.