You can get a Pentax K1000, for example, for close to $100; this is the perfect camera for learning to “see” in black and white, getting comfortable with manual controls, and developing and printing your work in a darkroom.
Most of our tips here refer to digital cameras, but black and white was born during the film era, so you can always use an old-fashioned black and white film camera to start. You can get a Pentax K1000, for example, for close to $100; this is the perfect camera for learning to “see” in black and white, getting comfortable with manual controls, and developing and printing your work in a darkroom. Grab some Ilford film and paper, and experiment. Even if you later switch to digital (which will give you more options!), you’ll have a solid foundation to start.