Yes, at this time, my primary focus in photography is night photography. This means most of my photographs are shot long after the sun has gone down and most people have gone to bed. I don't want to reinvent the wheel and cover all aspects of night photography, since much has been written about the basics. Many of the places I have learned, and continue to learn, can be found through my contact section.

Since photography is basically a culumulative process, meaning that it's a collection of light on a surface over time, it's an art that can happen any time of the day, regardless of the amount of available light. The low available light simply means that the exposures in a night photograph are significantly longer than your average snapshot. Most of my images are between one to eight minutes long and are typically shot during a 5 day period around a full moon to make exposure lengths practical.

The longer shot lengths mean two things. First, stationary objects like abandoned cars, houses, and the landscape will stay sharp like in a normal photography while moving objects like stars, clouds and water will show their motion, often creating a surreal effect. Second, it is possible to physically walk through the frame and 'light paint' with a light source such as a flashlight or flash. Any non-natural lighting you see in my night images are done in this method.

I do nothing in Adobe Photoshop that couldn't be achieved in a traditional darkroom setting. The vast majority of my work takes place in camera and on scene, including all lighting techniques. Photoshop is reserved for leveling horizons, contrast control and traditional dodging and burning. For the record, however, I think the backlash against the concept of 'manipulation' in digital images is unhealthy to the art of photography. All images are essentially manipulations, even those done with the most primative techniques. Do we force painters to defend each brush stroke?

As I mentioned, the longer exposure times can allow one to walk through the frame without being seen assuming they don't stand still for more than 10-15 seconds or point a flash or flashlight directly at the camera. In many scenes, I will use a flashlight to highlight shadow areas or fill in interiors of cars or houses. Think of it like dodging and burning on a much larger scale. You can also cover your light source with a colored theatrical gel for colored lighting effects. I tend to stick to warmer colors like yellow, orange or simply warmer colored natural flashlights. In the vast majority of my night work, I am working with the same two or three flashlights and rarely a strobe. The flashlights simply offer more control.

Being based on the west coast, most of the locations I have shot at are in California. Most of these locations are abandoned and will likely see destruction within the decade and some will only have been seen by a handful of people before they are gone. I find locations through word of mouth, Google Maps, trips with fellow photographers, talking to locals and simply driving down new roads. Location scouting adds to the adventure. For the past few years, I have been exploring California's Mojave desert, though I have a laundry list of locations in Arizona, New York, and beyond.

If you're interested in shooting some of these locations, I recommend exploring and getting to know your fellow photographers. Part of the fun of exploring these places is exploring it with friends. Additionally, many of them are dangerous, so use common sense and stay safe!