Finnish photographer Herra Kuulapaa has spent the last seven years capturing dangerously beautiful images of bullets being discharged from firearms. His High Speed Ballistics photography shows ammunition ripping through the air in mere microseconds from when the trigger is pulled. Each photo captures a solitary bullet in mid-flight, turning the aggressive action into a poetic visual.

With a puff of smoke and burst of flaming powder surrounding and trailing each round, there’s something inexplicably conflicting about the duality of its image and purpose. Despite a gun’s symbolic representation of violence, Kuulapaa insists that his images emphasize the importance of firearm safety. They reveal just how explosive a projectile can be and how quickly it is released from its chamber. In fact, many of the images in the photographer’s portfolio feature bullets shooting through the air at more than 800 mph.

Source: My Modern Met.
Photos by Herra Kuulapaa.