Image sensing apparatus and method for synthesizing a composite image

An image sensing method, comprising:

• storing, in a storage device, data representing a synthesis target image of a foreground subject obtained by photography;
• separately storing, in the storage device, photographic conditions prevailing at a time of photography of the synthesis target image;
• obtaining data representing a background image by photographing a background;
• applying image adjustment processing for at least one of a color adjustment and a luminance adjustment to the synthesis target image represented by the synthesis target image data stored in the storage device based upon the photographic conditions of the synthesis target image stored in the storage device and photographic conditions prevailing at the time of photography of the background;
• and
• combining the synthesis target image data that has been subjected to the image adjustment processing and the background image data, and outputting composite image data representing a composite image.

An image sensing method, comprising:

• storing, in a synthesis target image memory, synthesis target image data of a foreground subject obtained by photography under a predetermined lighting condition;
• obtaining background image data through photographing a background and storing the background image data to a background image memory;
• obtaining background lighting condition corresponding to the background image data at the time the background is photographed;
• automatically determining, without user input, whether a first image adjustment processing on the synthesis target image data is necessary based on the predetermined lighting condition and the background lighting condition;
• performing the first image adjustment processing on the synthesis target image data when it is automatically determined that the image adjustment processing on the synthesis target image data is necessary;
• combining the synthesis target image data that have been processed through the first image adjustment processing and the background image data to generate composite image data representing a composite image;
• allowing a user to determine whether a second image adjustment processing is necessary based on the composite image;
• performing the second image adjustment processing on the synthesis target image data when the user determines that the image adjustment processing on the synthesis target image data is necessary;
• and
• combining the synthesis target image data that have been processed through the second image adjustment processing and the background image data to generate composite image data representing a composite image.