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.

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)

Protesters use fireworks against riot police during clashes in the Athens neighborhood of Exarchia, a haven for extreme leftists and anarchists, Thursday, December 6, 2018. New protest marches were underway in Greece Thursday evening on the 10th anniversary of the fatal police shooting of a teenager, hours after violent initial demonstrations where masked youths attacked police with firebombs and stones. (Photo by Yorgos Karahalis/AP Photo)

People in an illuminated cycle rickshaw look at a light installation at the Old Royal Library during the opening day of the "Festival of Light" show in Berlin, Germany, October 9, 2015. (Photo by Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters)

This picture taken on November 18, 2015 shows young participants preparing to release a hot-air balloon during the Tazaungdaing Lighting Festival at Taunggyi in Myanmar's northeastern Shan State. Every year in November as the full moon approaches, tens of thousands of people from all over the country gather in Taunggyi for the colourful hot-air balloons festival during which balloons lift fireworks or lanterns which illuminate the sky at night while balloons of all shapes are flown during the day. (Photo by Ye Aung Thu/AFP Photo)

An echidna light sculpture eating ants is displayed during a media preview of Vivid Sydney illuminated displays at Taronga Zoo on May 24, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Vivid is lighting up at Taronga Zoo for the first time with ten giant animal sculptures representing critical species the zoo is committed to protecting. Held annually, Vivid Sydney is the world's largest festival of light, music and ideas running for 23 days. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)