I need help with finding the best sources to learn the basics of photography. I have a basic camera body (D5000), with an 18-300 mm lens. I know they are on the lower level of options, but I think if I get a better understanding of the basics, I will be able to get better results. There are a $hit ton of videos on youtube and similar platforms, but I obviously don't know which are good and which are a waste of time. Any direction would be more than appreciated!
Hi, first I would get to know the camera, its functions and menu etc. There are plenty of online resources along with plenty of video tutorials on your specific camera.
Next I would focus on the subject matter you intend to shoot, again, plenty of online resources for any given subject matter.
The advice above regarding just using the camera is good, obviously that is the intended goal and actually using it is vital for getting to know it, especially in regards to holding it correctly, supporting it and its little quirks. As mentioned, with digital it is not as important to get it right every time so don't be afraid to take plenty of shots.
Some advice if you are planning to use the manual settings or to play about with them, take a pen and pad, keep track of which shot you are on and write down the settings for each shot, takes a bit longer but it is invaluable in the long run, plenty of pro photographers still take notes, or at the least carry notes already made around with them.
Having said that, the auto settings on digital cameras have for some time been very good, even with plenty of knowledge about manual settings more often than not the camera will take a better shot by itself.