I just purchased and downloaded Willian Neill's e-book, Landscapes of the Spirit. It is an inspirational piece of work both for its photography and writing. I am a great fan of Neill's column in Outdoor Photographer and his blog. Following the work of photographers whose work you love is an important part of finding your own art. There's nothing wrong with imitating, copying, and cloning the masters, just don't fool yourself into thinking that this is your own. When the time comes I'm sure you will find your own path. We are indeed fortunate that today we are surrounded with the technology, resources, examples, and teachers of such a high caliber in photography, in fact in almost any subject matter. Have you looked at Lynda.com to see what is currently being offered in terms of online education? Over 31,000 courses, for one flat rate ($25 a month). You spend more at Starbucks in a week. Check out the site, as there is a lot of free content, like a great interview with Douglas Kirkland in an area called Creative Inspirations. I'm personally a fan of Italian designer and illustrator Simone Legno, creator of Tokidoki. There is a great interview with the designer, videos of his studio and projects.
What a great time it is!