X-Rays Expose the Beautiful Complexity of the Technology We Use Daily

X-ray of a man wearing virtual reality glasses

Person wearing VR glasses

For the past year, commercial photographer Andrei Duman has been working on a special project during his free moments. The endeavor, which involves taking X-rays of ordinary electronics, started due to Duman's amazement about how their technology is hidden beneath a clean exterior design. To reveal what lies below, he began taking X-rays of everything from iPhones and vacuums to game consoles and computers.

The results are a fascinating look at the inner workings of the objects that make our lives easier. Exposing them to a wider audience was exactly what Duman was hoping for. “I was fascinated with the idea that we use so much technology on a daily basis, and we take it for granted in some ways how complex they are, but we never see it,” he shares.

He's increasingly begun including human elements in the images, but overall, his X-rays stick to the object itself. To image larger objects, he's become adept at taking multiple X-rays that are stitched together in post-production. But for the most part, aside from cleaning up the black background, there's little retouching on the images.

One overarching theme is the development of technology. Duman spent a lot of time looking for all the models of iPhones to create a grid that shows how the revolutionary smartphone has changed. ” I loved seeing how the design and improved cameras, battery, and tech evolved with time,” he tells My Modern Met.

Game consoles have become another favorite item to X-ray. He's currently tracking down rare game consoles, such as the Commodore 64, to add to his collection of gaming images. It's his hope that others will find this peak inside ordinary objects just as fascinating as he does. And that there will be a deeper appreciation for the work it takes to make these electronics function while still looking aesthetically pleasing from the exterior.