I did grow up next door to Steve McQueen, who was a very famous movie star at the time, but as a kid it didn't impress me. We always had great fun with him. He would take us out on Sundays on his motorcycles, riding around in the desert he was like a second father.
I'd go down to the end of my street, to a garage that had a certain feeling about it, or a particular light I'd take a picture of a friend who needed a head shot. That's how I learned, instead of having school assignments and learning camera techniques.