I've been on Steemit for more than a year now. At first my posts earned nothing, but I persevered and put up content that interested me. In time, a few people noticed and I made "friends".
Discord can be a good place to get a feel for particular communities. As you poke around the platform, you may decide to connect on Discord and "meet" some people.
I wish you good luck. Most of all, have fun!
BTW: a contest I'm participating in this weekend might interest you: letsmakeacollage,Hello, @avpfre! Welcome to Steemit. I have resteemed your post, which means it will be featured on my feed. This may give you more visibility as you begin your adventure here. by @shaka. A lot of photographers join in this exercise. I'm not a photographer, but have a great time, anyway.
Also: Don't upvote me, or answer me. I know you're out there. The RCs run out pretty fast :)