At the approach of the winter equinox in Finland, the country experiences the phenomenon of polar nights or Kaamos, where the sun doesn’t rise over the horizon and leaves the country in perpetual nighttime. We agree it sounds depressing, but this period of darkness works in the favor of Finnish light painter Hannu Huhtamo, who uses various light sources to paint intricate, surreal shapes against barren landscapes. Huhtamo uses long-exposure photography, opening up the lens from minutes to hours, capturing the lights in its ephemeral state. “Darkness is the canvas and the light is my brush. With light paintings you can create new worlds in the darkness,” he states.
Watch the artist in action in the video below.
H/T: Colossal
All images © Hannu Huhtamo