diff --git a/src/picture.c b/src/picture.c
index b889556a..6d32ec25 100644
--- a/src/picture.c
+++ b/src/picture.c
@@ -282,11 +282,17 @@ picture *picture_init(int32_t width, int32_t height,
   pic->y_data = MALLOC(pixel, luma_size);
   pic->u_data = MALLOC(pixel, chroma_size);
   pic->v_data = MALLOC(pixel, chroma_size);
+  pic->data[COLOR_Y] = pic->y_data;
+  pic->data[COLOR_U] = pic->u_data;
+  pic->data[COLOR_V] = pic->v_data;
 
   // Reconstruction buffers
   pic->y_recdata = MALLOC(pixel, luma_size);
   pic->u_recdata = MALLOC(pixel, chroma_size);
   pic->v_recdata = MALLOC(pixel, chroma_size);
+  pic->recdata[COLOR_Y] = pic->y_recdata;
+  pic->recdata[COLOR_U] = pic->u_recdata;
+  pic->recdata[COLOR_V] = pic->v_recdata;
 
   memset(pic->u_recdata, 128, (chroma_size));
   memset(pic->v_recdata, 128, (chroma_size));
@@ -327,11 +333,13 @@ int picture_destroy(picture *pic)
   free(pic->v_data);
   free(pic->y_data);
   pic->y_data = pic->u_data = pic->v_data = NULL;
+  pic->data[COLOR_Y] = pic->data[COLOR_U] = pic->data[COLOR_V] = NULL;
 
   free(pic->y_recdata);
   free(pic->u_recdata);
   free(pic->v_recdata);
   pic->y_recdata = pic->u_recdata = pic->v_recdata = NULL;
+  pic->recdata[COLOR_Y] = pic->recdata[COLOR_U] = pic->recdata[COLOR_V] = NULL;
 
   for (i = 0; i <= MAX_DEPTH; ++i)
   {
diff --git a/src/picture.h b/src/picture.h
index 02f893c4..0f9aa6d5 100644
--- a/src/picture.h
+++ b/src/picture.h
@@ -91,10 +91,12 @@ typedef struct picture_struct
   pixel* y_data;        //!< \brief Pointer to luma pixel array.
   pixel* u_data;        //!< \brief Pointer to chroma U pixel array.
   pixel* v_data;        //!< \brief Pointer to chroma V pixel array.
+  pixel *data[NUM_COLORS]; // \brief  Alternate access method to same data.
 
   pixel* y_recdata;     //!< \brief Pointer to reconstructed Y-data.
   pixel* u_recdata;     //!< \brief Pointer to reconstructed U-data.
   pixel* v_recdata;     //!< \brief Pointer to reconstructed V-data.
+  pixel *recdata[NUM_COLORS]; // \brief Alternate access method to same data.
 
   pixel* pred_y;        //!< \brief Pointer to predicted Y
   pixel* pred_u;        //!< \brief Pointer to predicted U