Image Processing method

Abstract

The image processing method applies image processing to an inputted image data. The method registers predetermined image processing conditions for each specific person in advance, extracts a person in the inputted image data, identifies the extracted person to find if the extracted person is the specific person and selects image processing conditions corresponding to the identified specific person to perform the image processing based on the selected image processing conditions. Amusement aspect in photography and image representation can be enhanced, and even inexperienced or unskilled persons in personal computer or image processing software can correct images.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing method for converting input image data to output image data by applying image processing to the input image data. More specifically, the invention relates to an image processing method for preparing an output image meeting a request from an individual customer; an image processing method for additionally displaying information corresponding to a feeling of a person on an image displaying medium or the like on which an image of the person is displayed, or performing substitution, modification or adjustment to produce an image corresponding to the feeling; and an image processing method for changing an image of a person to a favorite image of the person or an image having no unnatural feeling. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printing of an image photographed on a photographic film (hereinafter referred to as a film) such as a negative film or a reversal film...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention has been devised in view of the above drawbacks, and it is a second object of the present invention to provide an image processing method with which amusement aspect in image forming media such as a photograph, a video, a TV telephone and the like can be enhanced by visualizing a content that is desired to be emphasized according to a type of feeling of a person in a photographed image, particularly an image of the person, and forming an image.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above drawbacks, and it is a third object of the present invention to provide an image processing method with which even inexperienced or unskilled persons in personal computer or image processing software can easily correct images so as to have a preferred made-up face or a favorite face and remove unnatural feeling due to noncoincidence of the line of sight.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, various kinds of image processing can be performed with a high degree of freedom, which is difficult or impossible with the conventional direct exposure, including correction of dropouts or blocked-ups of an image due to back-light, strobe photographing or the like, correction of a color failure or a density failure, correction of under exposure or over exposure, correction of insufficient marginal luminosity, sharpness processing, and compression / expansion processing of density dynamic range (giving a dodging effect by image data processing).

However, the conventional image processing method has a problem in that processing is complicated because an operator must input information on a customer.

In addition, there is also a problem in that image processing conditions to be set are fixed according to obtained information on a customer, or selection of conditions is limited only to whether the processing is performed or not, and there is no function of setting image processing conditions corresponding to preference of a customer or, more meticulously, of each subject person, thus, image reproduction to which preference of a customer or a subject person is truly reflected cannot be realized.

In addition, there is also a problem in that the conventional image forming devices aim principally at reproducing an image as faithfully as possible as it is photographed, and an entertaining aspect of an image is not taken into account at all.

Ordinary people are not however familiar with adjustment of color tone or gradation, which is difficult processing for amateurs and in particular rather difficult for a user unfamiliar with a personal computer (hereinafter also referred to as “PC”).

In some cases, good adjustment results cannot be obtained, and there is also a problem in that images very often have unnatural feeling after adjustment.

There is however a problem in that unnatural feeling remains on the image of eyes prepared by the CG technology.

There is also a problem in that arithmetic computations enormously increase in quantity because of the preparation from the three-dimensional model depending on the CG technology.

Nevertheless, the simple image processing by using these image processing software programs that are commercially available cannot provide a sufficient accuracy to finish an image of a face of a person so as to have a favorite face or to finish the image in a full-faced state by making a line of sight coincident with a photographing direction.

There is also a problem in that the operation is difficult for amateurs.

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