FLIR-de-lis

I shot these thermal images of wildflowers using a thermal imaging device that plugs into a mobile phone and costs about $200. For that price, I thought it would be interesting to see what creative uses I could find for a thermal camera. Cutting to the chase: it is definitely very much a work in progress. There is a lot of potential, I think, especially with living subjects that radiate heat, although at this stage I am not ready to share any thermal portraits. Hey, I want to keep the friends I have, and I wouldn't want to frighten anyone with psychedelic selfies. There are ethical issues to be mindful of, as well. There are a few downsides to the technology at this point, the first being the really low resolution (640 x 480). Stitching multiple images together is hampered by the image-to-image variations. And, higher resolution cameras start to get very expensive very quickly. The other issue that needs consideration is the color grading. The LUTs that are appropriate for practical applications are not necessarily best for achieving pleasing artistic results. 

At the very least, however, thermal imaging can be a way to activate your creativity while having fun doing it.