The problem with flash on camera is that it flattens out the light... Night photography is hard because you need to know more about shutter speeds, aperture, external light sources, iso, digital noise and more... so the camera manufacturers take the easy route out and make your flash go off all the time.... keeping everyone in a permanent state of amateur-hood....
Do you by any chance teach a photography class that does teach all of that? Or can you reccomend one? This is something I would really like to get into, but just dont know where to start... Although this was my start I guess. :). I have been reading the weekly assignments and doing some things online, just poking around.. but I think I need a lot more than that.