The wonderful thing about cameras is you can manipulate them to say different things; to show different realities. To achieve a point where the camera is a tool used to express your own way of seeing you must turn off all the program modes in your camera. Instead, use a thorough understanding of F stops and shutter speeds, write with light (definition of the word “photography") in YOUR way.
Understand Grecian Thirds, know what a vanishing point is, see why odds seem to just work. Look for triangles in Titian and vanishing points as your puppy runs down a trail. You don’t need a camera to practice these things, just take your dog for a walk!