Several approaches to modeling light interactions with metallic nanostructures,as well as hybrid structures containing semiconductor quantum dots are outlined.Purely classical electrodynamics in the form of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is shown to be a robust and flexible tool for modeling complex nanostructures [1].Illustrations involving the excitation of gold bipyramdal and cubic particles are given.Hybrid systems corresponding to quantum dots and metal nanoparticles [2,3] are also discussed from the point of view of classical,semiclassical and fully quantum mechanical approaches.Finally,explicit time-dependent configuration interaction studies of light interacting with atomic chains are discussed,revealing a new type of plasmon excitation termed the excited state plasmon [4].