Multitemporal Images

A series of images converted to grayscale, then combined as though they are components of a single color image. This technique is frequently used in satellite imaging to color-code changes in vegetation or other land features over time.

Jones Farm, south Huntsville. Looking toward Green Mountain. Intervals: about 35 seconds. Exposure times: 1/125 second. For best results you need a good tripod and a wireless remote control to avoid color-inducing camera shake. (December 2003)

Jones Farm, south Huntsville several minutes later. Intervals: about 35 seconds. Exposure times: 1/125 second. I did okay with the alignment, but the sun popped out for the image designated as "Red", giving the static areas a brownish tint.

Waterfall study

Madison County Nature Trail, on Green Mountain. (November 2002)

Exposure times: 1/3 second. Combined as RGB.

Exposure times: 1/8 second. Combined CMYK, with middle image in series as the "K" channel.

Not such a smooth appearance this time. A chaotic-looking close up view with exposure times 1/400 second. Combined as CMYK, with middle image in series as the "K" channel.

Multitemporal: second test

Another puddle, another trick to try on a rainy day. Images taken with the Cujo Eye (Kodak DC4800). Burned in to eliminate static areas. (November 2002)

Click here for an animated .gif image. It's about 480k and opens in a new window.

The Drop Test

In 2002 I read up on this technique and went out and shot a series of the first moving water scene I came across. You guessed it: Monte Sano State Park falls. Well, there wasn't much happening that day save a few drips into a puddle but I decided to try anyway. (October 2002)

Three images in a series. I used the Mojo Eye (Sony F707) in "burst 3" mode, macro setting, and 10 second delay to reduce vibration. The goal is to capture the falling drops and water ripples and render them in color, while the unchanging parts of the scene remain in monochrome.

The images are reduced to grayscale in software, designated as Red, Green, and Blue, then combined into a color image. Most image software packages can do this RGB combination as well as CMYK and HSL.