How to work my nikon DSLR?

I have a nikon D3000 and I'm not really sure where to start. I want to be able to take awesome photography pictures, but I've never taken a class, or anything, I'm a complete newb. I've tried taking some pictures but they never turn out how I want, they always seem a little dull. Any tips or websites that I could go on?

The owners manual is a good start. So is the library.

Getting the best possible exposure will provide the best images, so you will need to get out of the "auto-everything" mode and learn to use the light meter. This means placing the camera in the manual mode.

Learning to see how light enhances the image quality will go a long way to improve your images

The owner's manual is a great albeit boring read that will get you pointed in the right direction. Also head to your local library and look for some beginner photography books. Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" is very helpful.

I agree with fhotoace, don't rely on auto mode, the whole point of owning a DSLR is to choose your own settings!

Reading the manual or finding a book on the nikon dslr (at a bookstore or camera store) helps. There's also 'Digital slr photography for dummies' or nikon books for dummies at chapters. Check out 'you tube' and type in your nikon brand camera for any instructional videos.
Try different settings, play around and keep practicing in order to learn the camera settings and to get a feel for the camera.
I had someone tell me to try learning my camera at first in manual mode- where you adjust the settings yourself (the aperture, shutter) to learn and get a feel of how to operate the camera. With help of a camera manual and material. Learning on manual is a good basic way of learning to use your camera for practice.
It sort of reminds me of car- it's great if you can learn manual. I feel one is a good driver if one knows how to learn to drive stick shift.

Whatever you want to photograph, don't just take one pic in auto mode.
Take 100 pics in manual mode whilst twiddling knobs, zooming in out etc. One is bound to come out decent.
Getting to know the camera is important. Its not so good if you don't know what half the buttons do.
Using as many of the features the camera has to offer will help with creativity.

I ask you - telling a newb to use Manual Mode when they haven't mastered Aperture Priority yet - sheesh.

There's only one level of light on the sensor or film that is correct, by correct I mean records the maximum data, the quickest way to find it is to to use Aperture Priority (A Mode).

You set the Aperture with depth of field in mind.

You set ISO with noise in mind (keep it as low as you can)

Half press the shutter and the camera will tell you what shutter speed it's having to select for a 'correct' exposure with the light you have available.

If it's too slow it could have camera shake which will blur the image and/or subject movement, you have choices.

You can open the aperture and narrow the depth of field.

You can up the ISO which makes your camera more sensitive to light, but your images will have more noise in them.

Or, best of all, what the Pros do, up the lighting level, either another, brighter location or use flash.

'Awesome' pictures are created, after they are set up you simply point your camera at them and the camera records them, cameras are just Data Recorders, the data they record is up to you.

You create them by, mainly, getting the lighting right, and you need more light than you think for noise free images. Lighting 'as found' is never good. Composition, looking at the background, exposure are important too.

A few weeks ago I did what will by last magazine shoot, I'm supposed to be retired. It took a team of 10 people 6 days, 4 to hire the photographer (me), the lighting guys, models, security (city centre location just to keep onlookers out of the shot), make up artists, models, and their agents.etc.etc. I day to light four locations, and less than two hours for the actual shooting.

I'll let you into a trade secret, if you had coupled up your D3000 to my radio poppers, you could have took the shots in Aperture Priority. Nobody could have told me which camera shot which, after my post processing, of course, it would be easy to tell (I brag).

The quickest way to learn photography is to join a good club, there's no quicker way than to go on a shoot with an experienced photographer, you will learn more in a few months than all the text books could teach you. There's nothing better than having the tutor right there with you. Photography is not rocket science, but, initially, it is counter intuitive.