Light Source Detection From Synthesized Objects

A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by a data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• projecting onto a provided 3D model a color map corresponding to a light source that illuminated an object of interest in an image at a time that the image was captured;
• selecting specular regions of the projected color map, wherein the specular regions are indicative of specular reflection of light from the light source;
• determining a location relative to the 3D model of the light source, based, at least in part, upon back-tracing rays reflecting off the selected specular regions;
• and
• determining an orientation of the object of interest relative to the determined location of the light source.

A method performed by a process executing on a computer system, the method comprising:

• identifying an object of interest in a digital image;
• projecting at least a portion of the digital image corresponding to the object of interest onto a three dimensional (3D) model that includes a polygon-mesh corresponding to the object's shape;
• determining a location of a light source relative to the object of interest, wherein the light source illuminated the object of interest in the digital image at a time that the digital image was captured based, at least in part, on a characteristic of one or more polygons in the 3D model onto which the digital image portion was projected;
• and
• determining an orientation of the object of interest relative to the determined location of the light source.