This article originally appeared on VICE GermanyFrom the 12th to the 15th of October 2017, tens of thousands of erotica enthusiasts gathered at the 21st annual VENUS International Erotic Trade Fair in Berlin to meet their favourite porn stars, watch live sex shows and shop the latest in BDSM accessories.That many people with sex on the brain in one confined conference space are bound to produce some heat. I wanted to see how much heat that would be exactly, so I brought a thermal imaging camera to the fair. The camera, provided by Flir, measures the infrared radiation emitted by hot objects up to 2,000 degrees Celsius. That means the camera allowed me to see the warmth emitted by everything I pointed it at – and, in this case, I pointed it at people who were watching someone get naked, or partaking in a bit of sensuous flogging. The more heat a specific area generates, the lighter it comes across on camera.
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A woman being whipped during an S&M demonstration.Normally, the technology is used in more serious situations – like when police are trying to trace a fugitive escaping through thick woods or by firefighters searching for the source of a large blaze. But I just wanted to find out what happens to a person's body temperature while being whipped into submission by a dominatrix, watching PornHub live or carefully handpicking a new sex doll.Scroll down for more infrared videos and photos from the 21st VENUS International Erotic Trade Fair.
A live dominatrix demonstration on the main stage of the fetish area of the fair.
A girl dancing on stage during a live show.
The camera even captured hand marks left on the the bodies of performers by the crowds.
Two people kissing.
Couples are given the opportunity to tie their partner up, and whip them gently. This woman is being tied up as her partner looks on.
A group of men browsing through the DVD collection on offer.
Rows of dismantled sex doll heads.
A photographer taking a shot of a stripper.
Three sex dolls on display.
A crowd gathering around a fetish performance.
A woman taking a break from the fair.