Deep shadows in a shallow box

Xiang Huang; Ankit Mohan; Jack Tumblin

doi:10.1117/12.766949

12 February 2008 Deep shadows in a shallow box

Xiang Huang, Ankit Mohan, Jack Tumblin

Proceedings Volume 6810, Computer Image Analysis in the Study of Art; 681003 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.766949
Event: Electronic Imaging, 2008, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

We present a fast, low-cost technique to gather high-contrast 'relightable' photographs of desktop-sized objects. Instead of an elaborate light stage, we follow Mohan et al.; we place the object and a digitally steered spotlight inside a white cardboard box, aim the spotlight at the box interior, and move the spot to light the object from N repeatable lighting directions. However, strong ambient lighting from box interreflections causes 'shallow' shadows and reduces contrasts in all basis images. We show how to remove this ambient lighting computationally from the N images, by measuring an N ×N matrix of coupling factors between lighting directions using a mirrorsphere light probe. This linear method, suitable for any light stage, creates physically accurate 'deep shadow' basis images, yet imposes only a modest noise penalty, and does not require external light metering or illumination angle measurements. Results from our demonstration system support these claims.

Citation Download Citation

Xiang Huang, Ankit Mohan, and Jack Tumblin "Deep shadows in a shallow box", Proc. SPIE 6810, Computer Image Analysis in the Study of Art, 681003 (12 February 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.766949

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