All photos © Deborah Bay. Above: 9mm Glock ball.
Deborah Bay photographed bullets that were fired into panels of plexiglass. She brought the panels in the studio and used a 120 macro lens on a Contax 645. On some of the images color was introduced by using gels or, occasionally, colored lights and glass. “Taking a cue from the cultural zeitgeist, I began thinking about ‘The Big Bang’ after seeing a sales display of bullet-proof plexiglass that had several projectiles embedded in it”, says Bay. “The plexiglass captured the fragmentation of the bullets and essentially provided a visual record of the energy released from the projectile on impact. Curious about its photographic potential, I returned a few days later with my camera and made some test shots. The bullets in the transparent plexiglass provided a way of seeing what the eye doesn’t normally see. In deciding to explore this concept further, I also was intrigued by the psychological tension created between the jewel-like beauty and the inherent destructiveness of the fragmented projectiles in the plexiglass. Many of the images resemble exploding galaxies, and visions of intergalactic bling sublimate the horror of bullets meeting muscle and bone. My interest in the project grew out of the pervasiveness of guns as cultural symbols and America’s long-held affection for guns as part of the country’s heritage. This seems particularly relevant in Texas where it’s estimated that there are 51 million firearms – two guns for every man, woman and child in the state.” – Deborah Bay
Professionals in law enforcement at the Public Safety Institute at Houston Community College fired the shots into the plexiglas used in this series.
7.62×39
.22 long rifle
12-gauge shotgun buckshot
.357 hollow point
.44 Magnum
.45 Hollow Point II
1-oz. shotgun slug
.45 hollow point
Five-seveN
Very nicely done! These images transfer very well to electronic distribution, retaining the power of the original photographs. These images give those of us lucky enough to have not actually been shot a way to appreciate the power of a heart-stopping moment — with no blood loss. And in counterpoint, they are arresting images in their own right, entirely independent of the subject matter.
Gun talk aside, I think these images are quite beautiful, and have an other worldly appearance. They are a true transformation of content.
I know, they are beautiful photos. I looked for the hollowpoint bullet which is designed to inflict maximum damage to flesh, and there they were, on bullet proof plexiglass. It made me sad, somehow. I mean, look what bullets do to stuff that’s bullet proof, for cripes sake.