An
image processing apparatus and method generate a three dimensional representation of a scene which includes a plurality of objects disposed on a plane. The three dimensional representation is generated from one or more video images of the scene, which include the objects on the plane produced from a view of the scene by a
video camera. The method comprises
processing the captured video images so as to extract one or more image features from each object, comparing the one or more image features with
sample image features from a predetermined set of possible example objects which the video images may contain, and identifying the objects from the comparison of the image features with the stored image features of the possible example objects. The method also includes generating object path data, which includes object identification data for each object which identifies the respective object; and provides a position of the object on the plane in the video images with respect to time. The method further includes calculating a projection matrix for projecting the position of each of the objects according to the object path data from the plane into a
three dimensional model of the plane. As such a three dimensional representation of the scene which includes a synthesised representation of each of the plurality of objects on the plane can be produced, by projecting the position of the objects according to the object path data into the plane of the
three dimensional model of the scene using the projection matrix and a predetermined assumption of the height of each of the objects. Accordingly, a three dimensional representation of a
live video image of, for example, a football match can be generated, or tracking information included on the
live video images. As such, a change in a relative view of the generated three dimensional representation can be made, so that a view can be provided in the three dimensional representation of the scene from a view point at which no camera is actually present to capture video images of the live scene.