Photographer Captures Stunning Photos of Nocturnal Animals

One summer night, photographer Traer Scott was watching moths flying near the lights on her porch when she realized that it would be spectacular to photograph the beautiful nocturnal creatures. A quick Internet search revealed that there are more than 160,000 species of moths. This inspired her to think about other night-loving animals. So began a photography project that is now a new book called Nocturne: Creatures of the Night (Princeton Architectural Press, $19.95).

To safely photograph some of her smaller subjects with a black background without disturbing the animals or their habitats, Scott came up with a unique method: With the help of her husband, she created a portable studio with four walls and a floor out of black foam core. She then poked lens-size holes in the sides and stuck her camera inside.

And how did Scott manage to find the nocturnal animals? She visited wildlife rehabilitation centers, educational facilities and zoos. Many of those featured in the book were injured or orphaned animals who could not survive in the wild.

From the graceful serval to the mischievous raccoon, check out our photo gallery to see some of the nocturnal animals in her book.