Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Acquiring Hemispherical Photographs in Forest Environments: From Planning to Archiving Photographs

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Hemispherical Photography in Forest Science: Theory, Methods, Applications

Part of the book series: Managing Forest Ecosystems ((MAFE,volume 28))

Abstract

This chapter deals with the practical aspects of hemispherical photography that pertain to equipment , field preparation and data acquisition. Despite the large number of scientific articles that report use of hemispherical photographs, many questions remain for those wanting to determine how to use this technology in forestry applications. For example, commonly asked questions include what equipment should be used and what are their technical requirements? This chapter was designed to guide those interested in acquiring hemispherical photography by providing procedures about what equipment to select, how to reduce the uncertainties of data collection, how to prepare data acquisition plans, and what to collect and archive, especially with respect to forestry applications. In short, it summarises the informal learning required to progress from the planning of data acquisition to the collection of a suitable data set of hemispherical photographs. While the capabilities of digital photography are continually advancing, limitations vary among different systems that are seldom known. To help improve knowledge about how to acquire hemispherical photos, this chapter includes information for preparing field sites, presents examples of field data sheets, and describes procedures in support of acquiring photography. Steps for successful photo acquisition require knowledge of lighting and environmental conditions. Following data acquisition in the field, the raw photographs need to be normalized in preparation for analysis. This includes removing geometric and radiometric distortions. In the case of analog photography, the digitizing processes are discussed. In addition, defining the outer ring (90° zenith angle) of the viewing perspective for each hemispherical photograph is critical for the analysis. Procedures to define this outer ring are proposed and examples are given. Lastly, the archival of hemispherical photographs as a data set is discussed with emphasis on the description fields included in a suggested metadata.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anderson MC (1964a) Studies of the woodland light climate. I. The photographic computation of light conditions. J Ecol 52:27–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MC (1964b) Studies of the woodland light climate. II. Seasonal variation in the light climate. J Ecol 52:643–663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MC (1964c) Light relations of terrestrial plant communities and their measurement. Biol Rev 39:425–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MC (1966a) Some problems of simple characterization of the light climate in plant communities. In: Bainbridge R, Evans GC, Rackham O (eds) Light as an ecological factor. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 77–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MC (1966b) Stand structure and light penetration II. A theoretical analysis. J Appl Ecol 3:41–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MC (1970) Interpreting the fraction of solar radiation available in forest. Agric Meteorol 7:19–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MC (1971) Radiation and crop structure. In: Sestak Z, Catsky J, Jarvis PG (eds) Plant photosynthetic production manual of methods. Dr. W. Junk N.V., The Hague, pp 77–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MC (1981) The geometry of leaf distribution in some South-Eastern Australian forests. Agric Meteorol 25:195–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avery TE, Burkhart HE (2001) Forest measurements, 5th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrie J, Greatorex-Davies JN, Parsell RJ, Marrs RH (1990) A semi-automated method for analysing hemispherical photographs for the assessment of woodland shade. Biol Conserv 54:327–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker M (1971) Une technique nouvelle d’utilisation des photographies hémisphériques pour la mesure du climat lumineux en forêt (A new technique using hemispherical photographs for measuring the light climate in a forest). Ann Sci For 28:425–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker P, Erhart DW, Smith AP (1989) Analysis of forest light environments. I. Computerized estimation of solar radiation from hemispherical canopy photographs. Agric For Meteorol 44:3–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blennow K (1995) Sky view factors from high-resolution scanned fisheye lens photographic negatives. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 12:1357–1362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonhomme R, Chartier P (1972) The interpretation and automatic measurement of hemispherical photographs to obtain sunlit foliage area and gap frequency. Israel J Agric Res 22:53–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonhomme R, Varlet Granger C, Chartier P (1974) The use of hemispherical photographs for determining the leaf area index of young crops. Photosynthetica 8:299–301

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown HE (1962) The canopy camera. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ft. Collins, Colorado. Station Paper No. 72. 22 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown HE, Worley DP (1965) Some applications of the canopy camera in forestry. J Forest 63:674–680

    Google Scholar 

  • Canham CD, Denslow JS, Platt WJ, Runkle JR, Spies TA, White PS (1990) Light regimes beneath closed canopies and tree-fall gaps in temperate and tropical forests. Can J For Res 20:620–631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chan SS, McCreight RW, Walstad JD, Spies TA (1986) Evaluating forest vegetative cover with computerized analysis of fisheye photographs. For Sci 32:1085–1091

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman L (2007) Potential applications of near infra-red hemispherical imagery in forest environments. Agric For Meteorol 143:151–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chazdon RL, Field CB (1987) Photographic estimation of photosynthetically active radiation: evaluation of a computerized technique. Oecologia 73:525–532

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen JM, Black TA, Adams RS (1991) Evaluation of hemispherical photography for determining plant area index and geometry of a forest stand. Agric For Meteorol 56:129–143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clark JA, Follin GM (1988) A simple “equal area” calibration for fisheye photography. Agric For Meteorol 44:19–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clearwater MJ, Gould KS (1995) Leaf orientation and light interception by juvenile Pseudopanax crassifolius (Cunn.) C. Koch in a partially shaded forest environment. Oecologia 104:363–371

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coombe DE, Evans GC (1960) Hemispherical photography in studies of plants. Med Biol Illustrations 10:68–75

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans GC, Coombe DE (1959) Hemispherical and woodland canopy photography and the light climate. J Ecol 47:103–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes RA, Miller JR, Chen JM, Rubinstein IG (2003) Evaluating image-based estimates of leaf area index in boreal conifer stands over a range of scales using high-resolution CASI imagery. Remote Sens Environ 89:200–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes R, Plummer S, Nightingale J, Baret F, Camacho F, Fang H, Garrigues S, Gobron N, Lang M, Lacaze R, LeBlanc S, Meroni M, Martinez B, Nilson T, Pinty B, Pisek J, Sonnentag O, Verger A, Welles J, Weiss M, Widlowski JL (2014) Global leaf area index product validation good practices. (Schaepman-Strub G, Román M, Nickeson J, (eds) version 2.0. Land Product Validation Subgroup (WGCV/CEOS)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fournier RA, Landry R, August NM, Fedosejevs G, Gauthier RP (1996) Modelling light obstruction in three conifer forests using hemispherical photography and fine tree architecture. Agric For Meteorol 82:47–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fournier RA, Rich PM, Landry R (1997) Hierarchical characterization of canopy architecture for boreal forest. J Geophys Res 102(D24):29445–29454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fournier RA, Mailly D, Walter J-MN, Soudani K (2003) Indirect measurement of forest structure from in situ optical sensors. In: Wulder M, Franklin S (eds) Methods and applications for remote sensing of forests: Concepts and case studies. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 77–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Frazer GW, Trofymow JA, Lertzman KP (1997) A method for estimating canopy openness, effective leaf area index, and photosynthetically active photon flux density using hemispherical photography and computerized image analysis techniques. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC. Information Report BC-X-373, 73 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Frazer GW, Canham CD, Lertzman KP (1999) Gap Light Analyzer (GLA), Version 2.0: Imaging software to extract canopy structure and gap light transmission indices from true-colour fisheye photographs, users manual and program documentation. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York. 52 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Frazer GW, Fournier RA, Trofymow JA, Hall RJ (2001) A comparison of digital and film fisheye photography for analysis of forest canopy structure and gap light transmission. Agric For Meteorol 109:249–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hale SE, Edwards C (2002) Comparison of film and digital hemispherical photography across a wide range of canopy densities. Agric For Meteorol 112:51–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert TJ (1986) Calibration of fisheye lenses by inversion of area projections. Appl Opt 25:1875–1876

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert TJ (1987) Area projections of fisheye photographic lenses. Agric For Meteorol 39:215–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill R (1924) A lens for whole sky photographs. Q J Royal Meteorol Soc 50:227–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinz A, Dörstel C, Heier H (2001) DMC2001-The Z/I imaging digital camera system. In Proceedings of ASPRS Conference: Gateway to the new millennium, April 2001, St. Louis, Missouri, pp 23–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchison BA, Matt DR (1977) The distribution of solar radiation within a deciduous forest. Ecol Monogr 47(2):185–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue A, Yamamoto K, Mizoue N, Kawahara Y (2004) Calibrating view angle and lens distortion of the Nikon fish-eye converter FC-E8. J For Res 9:177–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jonckheere I, Fleck S, Nackaerts K, Muys B, Coppin P, Weiss M, Baret F (2004) Methods for leaf area index determination. part I: Theories, sensors and hemispherical photography. Agric For Meteorol 121:19–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jonckheere I, Muys B, Coppin P (2005a) Allometry and evaluation of in situ optical LAI determination in Scots pine: a case-study in Belgium. Tree Physiol 25:723–732

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jonckheere I, Muys B, Coppin P (2005b) Derivative analysis for in situ high-dynamic range hemispherical photography and its application in forest stands. IEEE Geosci Remote Sens Lett 2:296–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jonckheere I, Nackaerts K, Muys B, van Aardt J, Coppin P (2006) A fractal dimension-based modelling approach for studying the effect of leaf distribution on LAI retrieval in forest canopies. Ecol Model 197:179–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasunic K (2011) Optical systems engineering. 1st edn. McGraw-Hill Education. Press Monograph Series. 464 pp. ISBN 0071754407/9780071754408

    Google Scholar 

  • Leblanc SG (2014) Étude de l’estimation de paramètres structuraux de la forêt àl’aide d’un cadre de modélisation de la photographie hémisphérique et du LiDAR. PhD thesis. Département de géomatique appliquée, Université de Sherbrooke

    Google Scholar 

  • Leblanc SG, Fournier RA (2014) Hemispherical photography simulations with an architectural model to assess retrieval of leaf area index. Agric For Meteorol 194:64–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacFarlane C, Coote M, White DA, Adams MA (2000) Photographic exposure affects indirect estimation of leaf area index in plantations of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. Agric For Meteorol 100:155–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magdwick HAI, Brumfield GL (1969) The use of hemispherical photographs to assess light climate in the forest. J Ecol 57:537–542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mailly D, Kimmins JP (1997) Growth of Pseudotsuga menziesii and Tsuga heterophylla seedlings along a light gradient: resource allocation and morphological acclimation. Can J Bot 75:1424–1435

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell PL, Whitmore TC (1993) Use of hemispherical photographs in forest ecology. Oxford Forestry Institute, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford. OFI Occasional Papers No. 44. 39 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Nackaerts K, Coppin P, Muys B, Hermy M (2000) Sampling methodology for LAI measurements with LAI-2000 in small forest stands. Agric For Meteorol 101:247–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nilson T, Ross V (1979) Characterization of the transparency of a forest canopy by fisheye photographs [Vooremaa Forest Ecology Station]. Estonian contributions to the International Biological Programme (progress report) 2:117–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Nomura Y, Sagara M, Naruse H, Ide A (1992) Simple calibration algorithm for high-distortion-lens camera. IEEE Trans Pattern Anal Mach Intell 14:1095–1099

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearcy RW (1989) Radiation and light measurements. In: Pearcy RW, Ehleringer J, Mooney HA, Rundel PW (eds) Plant physiological ecology: field methods and instrumentation. Chapman & Hall, London, pp 95–116

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ray SF (2002) Applied photographic optics: lenses and optical systems for photography, film, video, electronic and digital imaging. 3rd edn. Focal Press, 656 pp. ISBN 0240515404/9780240515403

    Google Scholar 

  • Rich PM (1989) A manual for analysis of hemispherical canopy photography. Los Alamos National Laboratory Report LA-11733-M, Los Alamos, New Mexico. http://www.creeksidescience.com/files/rich_et_al_1989_canopy_manual.pdf

  • Rich PM (1990) Characterizing plant canopies with hemispherical photographs. Remote Sens Rev 5:13–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rich PM, Clark DB, Clark DA, Oberbauer SF (1993) Long-term study of solar radiation regimes in a tropical wet forest using quantum sensors and hemispherical photography. Agric For Meteorol 65:107–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russ J (2016) The image processing handbook, 7th edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner S (1998) Calibration of grey values of hemispherical photographs for image analysis. Agric For Meteorol 90:103–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter J-MN, Fournier RA, Soudani K, Meyer E (2003) Integrating clumping effects in forest canopy structure: an assessment through hemispherical photographs. Can J Remote Sen 29:388–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitmore TC, Brown ND, Swaine MD, Kennedy D, Goodwin-Bailey CI, Gong W-K (1993) Use of hemispherical photographs in forest ecology: measurement of gap size and radiation totals in a Bornean tropical rain forest. J Trop Ecol 9:131–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Chen JM, Miller JR (2005) Determining digital hemispherical photography exposure for leaf area index estimation. Agric For Meteorol 133:166–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Dr. Ron Hall for providing helpful suggestions to improve the manuscript. We are also grateful to the two reviewers that provided insightful suggestions to the original manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de géomatique appliquée, Centre de Recherche et d’Applications en Télédétection (CARTEL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada

    Richard A. Fournier

  2. Decizio, 929 ave Sir Adolphe-Routhier, Québec, G1S 3P4, QC, Canada

    Daniel Mailly

  3. Département de botanique, Université Louis-Pasteur, Strasbourg, France

    Jean-Michel N. Walter

  4. FAO of the United Nations, viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153, Rome, Italy

    Inge G. C. Jonckheere

Authors
  1. Richard A. Fournier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel Mailly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jean-Michel N. Walter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Inge G. C. Jonckheere
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard A. Fournier .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre d’Applications et de Recherches en Télédétection (CARTEL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

    Richard A. Fournier

  2. Canadian Forest Services, Natural Resources Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Ronald J. Hall

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Fournier, R.A., Mailly, D., Walter, JM.N., Jonckheere, I.G.C. (2017). Acquiring Hemispherical Photographs in Forest Environments: From Planning to Archiving Photographs. In: Fournier, R., Hall, R. (eds) Hemispherical Photography in Forest Science: Theory, Methods, Applications. Managing Forest Ecosystems, vol 28. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1098-3_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation