How to take good night photos ?

First, you will definitely need a tripod.

Second, put your camera in Manual and turn the VR and AF on the lens to OFF.

Third, have your camera set to its highest resolution and use ISO 100.

Fourth, for exposures of up to 30 seconds use your camera's self-timer to release the shutter.

I use and recommend this site for low light exposures: http://www.calculator.org/exposure.aspx

I used the Scene 'City skyline in distance or floodlit buildings' and ISO 200 for these pictures of the Louisville skyline as seen across the Ohio River from the Indiana shore:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drifter45h/4048051455... 100mm @ f11, exposure of 30 seconds.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drifter45h/4048796836... 200mm @ f11, exposure of 30 seconds.

If you use ISO 100 you'd be shooting at f8 for 30 seconds.

I'm assuming you're looking for building photos in DC at night? Time exposure is the best way.

For example this shot.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimsphotostuff/345850...

Tripod. Shot with: Canon Rebel XS 1000D

Lens: Tamron 18-200

Star Filter

Manual: 10 Sec, f/10, ISO 100

Focal Length: 31

Those are some specs to consider.

Another way to get clear night time exposures is set your aperture at f/10 and let the camera decide the shutter speed. Set your ISO at either 100 or 200 to avoid noise in the darker areas of the shot.

Then, mounted on a tripod use your 10-second self timer because even the motion of you pressing your shutter release will cause blur.

Try that.

I agree with the first poster. I have an F10. It has a larger sensor (1/1.7") than most compact digital cameras (1/2.5") which helps it collect more light. Just make sure you buy a camera that can take pictures up to at least 15 seconds long. A tripod is nice, but any stationary object (like a table) will do. By the way, if you're budget allows, SLRs have even larger sensors. Just be careful not to get one with too many pixels, because the pixels will be smaller and not collect as much light.

Tripod, remote release/self timer, full manual setting, not too high ISO.

Since getting the right exposure can be between tricky and impossible, do an exposure sequence (-2, 0, +2 EV works for me) and either select the best shot or do a (gentle) HDR.

You may want to take some of your shots at twilight. The eye has more dynamic range than the camera. That means that night scenes that look impressive to the eye can be disappointing in the camera with overexposed highlights and/or blacked out shadow areas.

Ken Rockwell gives a good explanation of this phenomenon here:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/timing.htm

use a tripod and a low shutter speed,lower iso too

put it on flash