Apparatus, image capturing apparatus, method, and storage medium

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the at least one processor storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to function as:
• a first correction unit that applies haze correction to an image that includes a plurality of color components;
• and
• a second correction unit that corrects saturation of the image to which the haze correction has already been applied, by correcting a color difference of the image to which the haze correction has already been applied based on an amount of change in a color difference of the image before and after the application of the haze correction without changing a predetermined color component among the plurality of color components.

A method executed by an apparatus, comprising:

• generating, based on an image, an evaluation image for haze correction;
• generating, based on the evaluation image, a transmission map for the haze correction;
• applying the haze correction that is based on the transmission map to the evaluation image;
• applying the haze correction that is based on the transmission map to the image;
• and
• correcting, based on an amount of change in the evaluation image before and after the application of the haze correction, brightness of the image to which the haze correction has already been applied.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

• generating, based on an image, an evaluation image for haze correction;
• generating, based on the evaluation image, a transmission map for the haze correction;
• applying the haze correction that is based on the transmission map to the evaluation image;
• applying the haze correction that is based on the transmission map to the image;
• and
• correcting, based on an amount of change in the evaluation image before and after the application of the haze correction, brightness of the image to which the haze correction has already been applied.