Good luck Jamie with the new Hobby.
Ian Allan publish two books each year - Civil Aircraft Markings and Military Aircraft Markings. These will help you identify what you see. (Look at the Ian Allan Publishing Website.)
As regards photography best advice is to go to your nearest airfileds and just practice taking photographs. Two choices really - pictures of aircraft on the ground (easy if you can get access to locations where there is an unrestricted view) or by waiting parallel to the runway ends to get approach or take off pictures (needs more skill and practice). Weather is the key to photography and you really do need a bright sunny day (and the sun needs to be behind you).
Have fun!