Practice, practice, practice. Practice make perfect. We've heard it time and time again. But how many of us wait until a big trip to shoot images? I know I've been guilty of that. Then I spend the first day out trying to remember where all my settings are, getting a feel for the camera, and finding my "groove."
I tried a regular camera club. I'm sure they are great for some people. But the meetings were all about the monthly contest, and many of the activities and shoots were aimed at people who do model shoots or commercial photography.
So now I've joined a more appropriate (for me) club, the Heard Nature Photographers. It's part of the Gulf States Camera Club Council, so if I want to participate in some of their contests, I can. There's a yearly members choice contest, too. But for the most part, they are all about short photo expeditions, meetings with great photo sharing info, and getting together with like-minded folks.
I'd urge you to find a club that matches your interests and temperament. Or even just people you enjoy with an interest in photography. Then shoot all the time. Shoot in the evenings, on the way to work, on the weekend. Explore your local area to see what's good lens fodder. With spring flowers out now, it's the perfect time!