2 Create funky images with the Harris effect

Steve Gemmell shows how a combination of shooting a still-life several times and some simple image-editing enables you to craft a psychedelic effect

When we take a photo using our digital cameras, our photos are recorded using the RGB (redgreen-blue) colour model. Since our computer screens also produce colours in RGB, we essentially see the same colours on our computer monitors that we see on our camera’s LCD screen. However, it is possible to execute a little trick to give your images a multi-colour effect as seen with this image of a boiling kettle (opposite). It’s called the Harris effect after Robert S Harris, who invented the look while at Kodak.

The trick is to take several images while some elements within the scene move and others remain static. In this example, the movement occurs in the boiling water. If we take several shots of the kettle, the water and the steam will be in a different position for each image recorded. Similarly with the boat photograph (see step 4 below), there are ripples around the boat that are moving. By isolating each channel within each photo so that only red, green or blue is shown in different shots, it is possible to recombine those images back into one image. As water is clear, it is an ideal subject for this type of treatment. Smoke and steam are both suited to this technique as well.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Digital camera Flash

Tripod Glass kettle Image-editing software (I’m using Photoshop) Time: Two hours