Linux certainly has changed a lot in recent times, and the emphasis with distributions such as Ubuntu is on user-friendliness. Provided your hardware is supported, everything should be picked up during installation (or by the live CD) and you are then invited to download and install additional 'restricted' drivers and codecs to increase functionality. These aren't included in the CD for copyright reasons.
If you need to run Windows software, as I guess most photographers do, you can dual boot into either Windows or Linux rather than having two machines. I fully understand the reluctance to learn another OS if XP does everything you need and you are happy with it, but having climbed this learning curve I now find Linux easier and prefer it for general use. It is also a good way of giving a new lease of life to an older machine which will run Linux much faster than Windows.
It's not for everyone, and I'm not intending to be evangelical about it, but it may be worth trying especially if you aren't happy with Windows and/or you want something inherently secure. Also it's 100% free - no registration codes or 'Genuine Advantage' authentication checks, and you can install it on as many machines as you like. If you don't like it you can have a full refund.
