His camera is a D300, and for most of his images he sets it for in-camera noise reduction. He will turn the noise reduction off, though, for star trail images that will be stacked in Photoshop. All his camera settings are manual, and he turns off autofocus. "With distant subjects I'll line up the infinity marker on the lens; for intermediate distance, I'll shine my headlamp light on my subject and focus manually."

The AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED is pretty much his all-purpose lens. He also has an AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED, an AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED and an AF DX Fisheye-NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G ED. "I try to keep the weight of the kit down because much of my night photography involves a lot of walking around city streets and mountain trails, but sometimes I'll carry two bodies—a D200 is my second camera. Because some of my exposures are so long, I can be shooting with the D200 while the D300 is taking an exposure."

His basic method is to first take a picture based on his best estimation and his experience, then check the histogram, then adjust the exposure according to what he's going after. "If the histogram shows the exposure smack in the middle of a bell curve for a 'correctly' exposed photo, a nighttime scene is likely to look like it was taken in the daytime. If you want it to look like night, you need to underexpose." Then it takes some work in post production for him to tease the image out of the file.

Obviously, the photographs Harold Davis creates don't come easy. His statement, "I'm aiming for the one great photo a week," gives you a clue to the time he spends shooting and processing. "It takes me a minimum of an hour to process a photo," he explains, "and a maximum of a couple of weeks, coming back to it again and again."

Then there's preparation and procedure. "When you're photographing at night you really have to be one with the camera and the equipment. I always wear a headband light, but it's a good idea to practice in the dark—put the camera on the tripod and make the settings."

When he's out shooting he's always aware of his situation and surroundings. "I'm an experienced outdoor photographer," he says, "and the night is not necessarily any scarier than the day, but at night I'm missing some of my senses. Hazards can be as simple as a pothole." He suggests that people starting out don’t go it alone. Around the block in your neighborhood, you'll probably be okay, but for something more ambitious—trail hiking or city exploration—take a spotter...or several. A good idea is a photo club or night photography group that might be in your area. In any case, let someone know where you're going; wear good hiking shoes; bring two light sources; and plan for the possibility that you might get stuck somewhere out in the wilderness. "I carry energy bars and extra clothing in my pack," Harold says. "A cell phone might not work in some areas, so I carry a device called the Spot Satellite GPS Messenger that can send a signal for help."

The rewards for all the preparation, shooting and careful processing are the startlingly beautiful images you can capture after dark. "There are as many photographs in the dark as there are in the daylight," Harold says. "Everything looks different, and that—along with unpredictable, unexpected results—is the attraction. There's also the chance to be a pioneer: daytime views are pretty well photographed, but at night things are different. Common objects look strange; even landmarks are brand new. There are beautiful compositions everywhere, and there's the interplay of different light sources and color temperatures."

For a photographer, the dark is more than just the absence of light.

Harold has detailed his night photography techniques and methods in his new book, Creative Night: Digital Photography Tips & Techniques. He is also the author of The Photoshop Darkroom: Creative Digital Post-Processing. You can see many more of his images and find out about his workshops at his website, www.photoblog2.com.