Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium

An image processing method comprising:

• obtaining respective positions, in a three-dimensional coordinate system, of a plurality of virtual objects to be inserted in a virtual viewpoint image generated based on captured images obtained by a plurality of image capturing devices at different positions, wherein the plurality of virtual objects is not included in the captured images obtained by the plurality of image capturing devices;
• specifying, based on a result of an image analysis that extracts characteristics from the captured images, a scene of an event captured by the plurality of image capturing devices;
• determining, based on the specified scene, a restriction area in which display of the virtual objects is restricted, from among a plurality of candidate areas of the restriction area that are set in the three-dimensional coordinate system;
• displaying a first virtual object for which the obtained position is not included in the determined restriction area;
• and
• restricting display of a second virtual object for which the obtained position is included in the determined restriction area, wherein the first virtual object and the second virtual object are included in the plurality of virtual objects.

A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program to cause a computer to execute an image processing method, the image processing method comprising:

• obtaining respective positions, in a three-dimensional coordinate system, of a plurality of virtual objects to be inserted in a virtual viewpoint image generated based on captured images obtained by a plurality of image capturing devices at different positions, wherein the plurality of virtual objects is not included in the captured images obtained by the plurality of image capturing devices;
• specifying, based on a result of an image analysis that extracts characteristics from the captured images, a scene of an event captured by the plurality of image capturing devices;
• determining, based on the specified scene, a restriction area in which display of the virtual objects is restricted, from among a plurality of candidate areas of the restriction area that are set in the three-dimensional coordinate system;
• displaying a first virtual object for which the obtained position is not included in the determined restriction area;
• and
• restricting display of a second virtual object for which the obtained position is included in the determined restriction area, wherein the first virtual object and the second virtual object are included in the plurality of virtual objects.