A model-based method for face shape recovery

Abstract

In this paper we describe a model-based method for recovering the 3D shape of faces using shape-from-shading. Using range-data, we learn a statistical model of the variation in surface normal direction for faces. This model uses the azimuthal equidistant projection to represent the distribution of surface normal directions. We fit the model to intensity data using constraints on the surface normal direction provided by Lambert's law. We illustrate the effectiveness of the method on real-world image data. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.