IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, APPARATUS AND PROGRAM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing method, apparatus and program capable of correcting image data so that a main subject of photography is in the proper brightness even if the image data is such that the main subject of photography is high in contrast or backlight.

SOLUTION: Viewing image reference data coded using a brightness expansion color space and information about the time when the viewing image reference data was created are obtained. Based on the obtained information about the time when the viewing image reference data was created, scene reference image data is created from the viewing image reference data. The main subject of photography is extracted from the scene reference image data created. When the main subject of photography is either backlight or high in contrast, the cumulative brightness histogram of the scene reference image data is calculated. After the average value of brightness at which cumulative values on the shadow side and on the high-light side assume a predetermined value (particularly a value within the range of 0.1% to 0.4%) is specified as a black saturation point and a white saturation point, the brightness of the subject of photography is varied.

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