French artist Julien Breton aka Kaalam started calligraphy in 2001 by copying Arabic calligraphers. Self-taught, he began to incorporate long exposure photography to create incredible light paintings around the world. All of the images in this gallery were created in-camera, meaning there is no Photoshop trickery or post-production manipulation involved in creating these works of art.

Potters colour earthen lamps at a workshop ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali in Amritsar October 15, 2014. Earthen lamps are sold in large numbers during Diwali, the annual Hindu festival of lights, as people use them to decorate their homes. (Photo by Munish Sharma/Reuters)

Light painting photographer Michael Bosanko has been capturing light since 2004. He discovered light painting on accident, Michael says this of his moment of discovery, “the moon formed part of the scene, but the camera shake caused the moon to make a streak.

A visitor takes photos while attending the Dandenong Festival of Lights in the suburb of Dandenong in Melbourne, Australia, September 23, 2015. The month-long festival, set up by the Chinese Cultural Works Light Spectacular, celebrates Chinese culture through a display of hundreds of beautiful and unique silk light displays, according to the event's website. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

An aurora is seen in the sky in Pajala, Sweden on February 10, 2022. (Photo by Alexander Kuznetsov/Reuters)

A view of northern lights over the skies of Sodankyla, Lapland, Finland, on October 7, 2024. (Photo by Alexander Kuznetsov/All About Lapland/Handout via Reuters)

Paul Kerr was able to capture this stunning vista of the aurora australis from Canberra, New Zealand on June 1, 2025. (Photo by Paul Kerr/Hold Still Photography)

A group of young women have 'a bit of a do' for Oxfam at St Pancras International and enjoy a screening of the nation's favourite chick-flick Dirty Dancing on February 28, 2011 in London, England. Oxfam is calling on women across the UK to get together with their female friends in March to celebrate women's achievements for the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day (March 8, 2011) and raise money to support their work with women living in poverty. www.oxfam.org.uk/do (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Oxfam). LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 28