[shuttertalk]

I've been looking at some high-speed digital photos - such as balloons popping, bottles bursting and vegetables exploding - all pretty cool stuff

http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobephoto/pool/

I think they use a kit from Make Magazine - which contains a high speed flash, and also a flash trigger which is activated by light or sound and can be used by your digital camera. Pretty cool...

http://makezine.com/flashkit/

I wonder if there's any alternatives to the kit, other than the obvious test your reflexes / trial and error method ...

[XeoX]

Wow, I just took a look at those shots. Brilliant. At first I thought they were just taken using a very high shutter speed like 1/2000 sec or sth, but then I saw the kit these were taken with. I must say that I'm very interested in this kit!

[Kombisaurus]

I agree this kind of stuff really is quite interesting. I remember reading up on it just before I got my flash a few months ago.

The site I found most useful was this one:

http://www.hiviz.com/

Not only do they have cool photos and tips, but they also sell much cheaper DIY kits to do this stuff yourself (US$5 for a sound-trigger kit for example, without cables). You don't need to be an electronics guru - just maybe have access to a soldering iron, a little bit of common sense, and the ability to read instructions.

[Irma]

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Einstein.

I like this a lot, Adrian....

[Petographer]

I recall seeing something like this a long time ago where the photographer made an electronic setup of sorts to photograph a bullet through an apple. http://www.pulsephotonics.com/gallery.htm This is high speed.

[shuttertalk]

just maybe have access to a soldering iron, a little bit of common sense, and the ability to read instructions.

Doh, struck out on three counts!!!