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.

About a year ago, commercial photographer Andrei Duman began X-raying ordinary objects.

X-ray of a Roomba

Roomba

X-ray of a Dyson vacuum

Dyson vacuum

He was inspired to do so in order to see what lay under the clean exterior of the electronics we use on a daily basis.

x-ray of an old radio

Old radio

X-ray of a MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro

x-ray of a bike

Bike

He's become a collector of technology, seeking as many iPhone and game console models as he can find.

X-rays of different iPhone models

iPhones

x-ray of a Dreamcast

Dreamcast

X-ray of a Game cube controller

Game Cube controller

Occasionally he'll include a human element in the image.

x-ray of a handbag

Handbag

X-ray of a woman wearing a high heel

Heel

X-ray of person wearing AirPods Max

AirPods Max

“I was fascinated with the idea that we use so much technology on a daily basis, and we take it for granted.”

X-ray of a DJ Hero Turntable

DJ Hero Turntable

X-ray of a keytar

Keytar

“We just assume that they will work.”

X-ray of a London Bus

London bus

X-ray of a Mac Pro

Mac Pro

x-ray of a mclaren F1

McLaren F1

“I wanted to see the intricacies of the mechanisms, the wiring, the layout, and the complexity of them in a different way.”

X-ray of an A-wing

A-wing

x-ray of a projector

Projector

X-ray of a rover

Rover

X-ray of a VW Bus

VW Bus

X-ray of a rollerskate

Rollerskate

x-ray of a wired mouse

Mouse

Andrei Duman: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Andrei Duman.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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