Illumination-aware group portrait compositor

Vis Comput. 2022;38(12):4009-4018. doi: 10.1007/s00371-022-02508-z. Epub 2022 May 20.

Abstract

We present a novel compositing framework for full-length human figures that maintains their surface details and appends the localized nature of light and shadow, thereby synthesizing composite results with high visual coherence. The framework is extended from the compositing pipeline proposed in our previous study so that it deploys five stages for photometric information estimation, as well as for 3D reconstruction, global illumination simulation, lighting transfer, and compositing. Based on the interpretation that a sense of coexistence can be achieved through visual coherence, we demonstrate that the proposed framework functions properly as a group portrait compositor. The composite results that the proposed framework composed the images separately rendered 3D human models compared favorably with the results which rendered multiple avatars together. Based on this empirical evaluation, the proposed framework is expected as a new means of fostering a sense of coexistence in remote societies and of efficiently generating highly photorealistic cyberworlds.

Keywords: Digital image compositing; Image processing; Perception; Visual coherence.