Time-lapse image fusion

Abstract

Exposure fusion is a well known technique for blending multiple, differently-exposed images to create a single frame with wider dynamic range. In this paper, we propose a method that applies and extends exposure fusion to blend visual elements from time sequences while preserving interesting structure. We introduce a time-dependent decay into the image blending process that determines the contribution of individual frames based on their relative position in the sequence, and show how this temporal component can be made dependent on visual appearance. Our time-lapse fusion method can simulate on video the kind visual effects that arise in long-exposure photography. It can also create very-long-exposure photographs impossible to capture with current digital sensor technologies. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.