System for assembling composite group image from individual subject images

A photographic system comprising:

• a fiducial marking device that includes a fiducial light source configured to emit collimated light at a known height relative to a surface on which a subject is positioned;
• and
• a camera configured to:
• capture a fiducially marked image of the subject, the fiducially marked image including a fiducial marker formed on the subject from the collimated light;
• and
• capture at least one other image of the subject,
• wherein a photography product is generated using the at least one other image, a pixel density of the fiducially marked image determined based on a location of the fiducial marker and the known height at which the collimated light is emitted, and a reference height of the subject determined based on the location of the fiducial marker.

A method of generating a composite group image comprising:

• for a subject of a plurality of subjects to be arranged in a composite group image:
• illuminating the subject with collimated light from a fiducial light source of a fiducial marking device that emits the collimated light at a known height relative to a surface on which the subject is positioned;
• capturing a fiducially marked image of the subject with a digital camera, the fiducially marked image including a fiducial marker formed on the subject by the collimated light;
• determining a pixel density of the fiducially marked image based on a location of the fiducial marker and the known height at which the collimated light is emitted;
• determining a reference height of the subject based on the location of the fiducial marker;
• capturing a subject-illuminated image of the subject with the digital camera;
• and
• based on the determined pixel density of the fiducially marked image and the reference height of the subject, processing the subject-illuminated image of the subject;
• and
• arrange the processed image of the subject among processed images of other subjects of the plurality of subjects to generate the composite group image.