When a shotgun shell is fired the pellets are encased in a protective "sabot" or casing whose leaves open up once the shell exits the barrel and its leaves peel back allowing the pellets to proceed along their flight path unhampered.

The photograph was made with an electronic flash lasting only 1/1,000,000 second in duration and triggered by the sound of the gun tripping a sound activated synchronizer while the camera shutter was left open for the exposure and the event photographed in a totally darkened room so as not to pre-expose the film.