Math and Photography: How to Capture a Pellet Piercing a Water Drop

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Gannon Burgett writes, "Water droplets can make for some beautiful high-speed photography, but how do photographers manage to capture such precise moments?"

Bullets Colliding with Water Droplets
 

And what if you add even more elements to the equation, such as shooting a tiny pellet through the drop as it reaches its peak?

While repetition and luck are one option, a far better approach is to use a clever triggering system called the Camera Axe. 

In the video above, TechPhotoBlog’s Maurice Ribble shows you how he effectively uses this device to capture ‘the holy grail of high speed photography.’

Rubble begins the fifteen minute video by quickly introducing the water droplet shot he’s attempting to recreate. Then, about a minute in, he takes us through the setup he’s built to capture the photograph.
 
This includes speedlights connected to a Camera Axe, a custom system for firing the pellet, and a structural system to support the entire operation. 
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Source: PetaPixel and Maurice Ribble's Channel (YouTube).