Here are some tips for improving your night photography.  I have tested these tips using Canon, Sony and Nikon digital cameras with their internal flash:

Night Photography Tip # 1

If your flash has a maximum range of 6 feet, flash group outdoor portrait photos taken beyond 6 feet will have a grainy look and feel. Your photos will not have a case of red eye but of flash eye (the light reflected from the flash will reflect off your subject’s eyes too)

Night Photography Tip # 2

When you have selected not to use your internal flash for group outside portraits, your photos will come out as yellowish and blurry since the camera will just rely on available light. The speed of taking the shot will also slow down, so that even one person in your group shot who moves will come out as blurry.

Night Photography Tip # 3

Never use polarizer filters on interior shots since the polarizer filters are only helpful for full sunlight or at times between 10 am and 4 pm. I made a mistake of not taking out my polarizer filter when I took a shot.  Even with the full internal flash on, it came out dark and grainy. I realized my mistake, took out the polarizer filter and then the pictures came out great.

Night Photography Tip # 4

In taking interior shots (with or without flash), when you get dark photos but have captured a perfect photo moment . . .  don’t despair.  If all else fails, use Photoshop to enhance the brightness and contrast of your photos.

Night Photography Tip # 5

(From tip #4) If you have already enhanced the brightness and the color of your photos using Photoshop and the photos still look weird or colors are unnatural, change your photo to black and white. Your photo will come out more striking in black and white and will look more natural. Many professional photographers prefer to use black and white film. Often black and white photos are very striking and can stand up on their own merit.

Night Photography Tip # 6

No matter if you have a 4 mp or a 23 mp resolution, if the flash range is within reach of your subject, the photo will come out nice. But if it exceeds the flash range, photos will have a tendency to get grainy even if you have a top of the line SLR.

Night Photography Tip # 7

If you regularly take night photos or interior photos with a dSLR camera, invest in a speedlight aka external flash. I know that its sometimes more expensive than the camera itself, but in the long run having a speedlight is worth the added expense.