Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Template Matching Heatmap. A winter landscape features a dense forest under a dramatic sky. The algorithm overlays intense warm hues where the sky textures align with the target patch.Image: Alexey Okhrimenko alexeyok · CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons), processed for the AtlasView source ↗
Prompt
Apply Template Matching Heatmap using a distinctive existing image patch as the reference. Overlay translucent blue for weak similarity, yellow for moderate matches, and red hotspots at strong matching positions. Retain visible photographic structure beneath the smooth score field, without inventing repeated objects. Keep the original subject and composition.
Aheatmap uses color to show [match strength]at each tested position, revealing likely matches for achosen image patch.
Principle
The algorithm slides atemplate1across the image and [compares pixel values]at each position. It converts these comparisons into [similarity scores2], then maps the scores to colors.
Try it out
Vary the template size and look for competing matches in repeated patterns.
Classification
Calculated image processing result.
Further examples · 9 images
02Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “Row Houses in Washington D.C. (Unsplash)”A stone building facade displays a series of identical arched windows. Vertical bands of color appear where the template matches the architectural repetition of the pillars.Erol Ahmed erol (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons03Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “Velika planina 2014 (4)”Cattle graze on a vast, hilly pasture beneath a cloudy sky. The visualization maps similarity across the cloud formations, highlighting a specific vapor pattern in the center.Aleš Krivec (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons04Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “Vintage car dashboard (Unsplash rrKrlinnoIA)”A vintage car dashboard displays several analog gauges and control labels against a dark background. The glowing horizontal bands indicate precise matches for the text pattern across the control panel.Igor Ovsyannykov igorovsyannykov (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons05Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “Adult couple holding hands”A man and a woman walk down a street, their hands joined in the center of the frame. Bright heat signatures highlight the contours of their arms and clothing where the template finds repeated structural patterns.Alice Donovan Rouse (@alicekat) (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons06Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “Marjorie Bertrand 2016-07-03 (Unsplash)”A young child stands with their back to the camera, looking towards a blurred background of lights. Glowing hotspots are concentrated on the hair and shoulders, reflecting high similarity to the selected sample area.Marjorie Bertrand machossette (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons07Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “After fifty years (Unsplash)”A close-up portrait captures the side profile of a man wearing glasses and smiling. Intense orange peaks define the bridge of the nose and forehead, showing where the template aligns perfectly with the facial features.Lotte Meijer lottemeijer (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons08Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “Small river by the hills (Unsplash)”A dark mountainous range sits beneath a twilight sky. A pinpoint of light within the cyan frame indicates a precise match against the dim terrain.Ezra Jeffrey emcomeau (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons09Template Matching Heatmap, applied to “Vintage cameras (Unsplash)”Various vintage cameras and lenses are arranged on a shelf. Glowing purple streaks identify recurring shapes and light reflections across the mechanical bodies.Jeff Sheldon ugmonk (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
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