Method and system for combining multiple exposure images having scene and camera motion

A computer-implemented process for generating a panoramic high-dynamic range (HDR) image, comprising:

• an input step for obtaining an input image set containing a plurality of images capturing different exposure levels and at least partial spatial overlap of a scene;
• a reference panorama step for combining at least some of the plurality of images in the input image set to generate a reference panorama containing at least a majority of a spatial extent of the scene;
• and
• an exposure augmentation step for filling in and augmenting exposure details of the reference panorama using exposure detail available from the input image set to generate the panoramic HDR image.

A system for creating a panoramic high-dynamic range (HDR) image containing a full available spatial extent of a scene and a full available exposure range of the scene, comprising:

• an input image set containing images capturing the scene at various exposure levels and capturing a spatial extent of the scene, wherein at least some of the images overlap in the spatial domain;
• a reference panorama generation module that generates a reference panorama containing a full available spatial extent of the scene using a subset of the input image set;
• and
• a pixel labeling module that fills in and augments exposure detail of the reference panorama by simultaneously minimizing data costs and seam costs to obtain optimal pixel labeling for pixels in the input image set and outputs the panoramic HDR image.