Relationship between Plant Spectral Reflectances and their Image Tonal Responses on Aerial Photographs

Abstract Conventional color (CC) and color‐infrared (CIR) photography have been used in a wide‐range of remote sensing applications. Many users, however, do not fully understand or know how to interpret it. Published plant photography/reflectance studies make little effort to help the lay‐reader understand the relationship of plant spectral reflectance with their color tonal response on color photographic film. The objective of this paper is to describe the relationship of how spectral reflectances of plant species are registered on photographic film and how the resultant color tonal responses of the plants are produced in relation to their spectral reflectance. Illustrations are presented which simplify the interpretation of the interaction between plant canopy reflectance and CC/CIR photographic film emulsion layers, including the resultant color tones of the plants. Research studies addressing both plant photography and reflectance data can be more meaningful and better appreciated if one has a general...