heres some shots i took a couple of days ago i opened the shutter for about 10 to 15 seconds. these would have been great if the damn powerlines hadn't been in the way, oh well live and learn i guess. this technique is good at dusk time, but you can use the 2 to 3 minutes one at full dark. just practice on opening the shutter at different intervals till you find one you like.
shooting lighting at dusk offers its own challenges, thats why i only did this once. I am sure with more practice i could master it but i love to just leave the shutter open and catch as much as possible then closing it when i think it's been enough. I am glad your so interested in this type of photography, it's kind of one of the reasons i wanted a dslr so i could do this.