Doing it at NightMost landscape photographers put away their cameras at night. I usually am among them, though from time to time I've tried my hand atstar trails,auroraormeteor showers.

Part of the reason that photographers don't shoot more after dark is that when shooting film it's very difficult to judge how the results are going to turn out, and experimentation takes time, effort and good note taking. You'll try a few different exposures, noting all of the variables, but then it may be a day or two, or even a week or more until you sit down with the results and see how things have turned out. I prefer more immediate feedback.

Digital cameras change all of that. Now we can take long night-time exposures and immediately explore and take note of the variables, such as colour shifts, and of course the proper exposure needed.

Below is one frame from a series of tests done to determine how theCanon D60performs under nightime shooting conditions.

The Big DipperBig Dipper Over...