High Dynamic Range Image Tone Research Articles

Contrastive learning for deep tone mapping operator

Most existing tone mapping operators (TMOs) are developed based on prior assumptions of human visual system, and they are known to be sensitive to hyperparameters. In this paper, we proposed a straightforward yet efficient framework to automatically learn the priors and perform tone mapping in an end-to-end manner. The proposed algorithm utilizes a contrastive learning framework to enforce the content consistency between high dynamic range (HDR) inputs and low dynamic range (LDR) outputs. Since contrastive learning aims at maximizing the mutual information across different domains, no paired images or labels are required in our algorithm. Equipped with an attention-based U-Net to alleviate the aliasing and halo artifacts, our algorithm can produce sharp and visually appealing images over various complex real-world scenes, indicating that the proposed algorithm can be used as a strong baseline for future HDR image tone mapping task. Extensive experiments as well as subjective evaluations demonstrated that the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing state-of-the-art algorithms qualitatively and quantitatively. The code is available at https://github.com/xslidi/CATMO.

Tone mapping high dynamic range images based on region-adaptive self-supervised deep learning

This paper presents a region-adaptive self-supervised deep learning (RASSDL) technique for high dynamic range (HDR) image tone mapping. The RASSDL tone mapping operator (TMO) is a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on local image regions that can seamlessly tone map images of arbitrary sizes. The training of RASSDL TMO is through the design of a self-supervising target that automatically adapts to the local image regions based on their information contents. The self-supervising target is designed to ensure the tone-mapped output achieves a balance between preserving the relative contrast of the original scene and the visibilities of the fine details to achieve faithful reproduction of the HDR scene. Distinguishing from many existing TMOs that require manual tuning of parameters, RASSDL is parameter-free and completely automatic. Experimental results demonstrate that RASSDL TMO can achieve state-of-the-art performance in terms of preserving overall contrasts, revealing fine details, and being free from visual artifacts.

A Biological Vision Inspired Framework for Image Enhancement in Poor Visibility Conditions.

Image enhancement is an important pre-processing step for many computer vision applications especially regarding the scenes in poor visibility conditions. In this work, we develop a unified two-pathway model inspired by the biological vision, especially the early visual mechanisms, which contributes to image enhancement tasks including low dynamic range (LDR) image enhancement and high dynamic range (HDR) image tone mapping. Firstly, the input image is separated and sent into two visual pathways: structure-pathway and detail-pathway, corresponding to the M-and P-pathway in the early visual system, which code the low-and high-frequency visual information, respectively. In the structure-pathway, an extended biological normalization model is used to integrate the global and local luminance adaptation, which can handle the visual scenes with varying illuminations. On the other hand, the detail enhancement and local noise suppression are achieved in the detail-pathway based on local energy weighting. Finally, the outputs of structure-and detail-pathway are integrated to achieve the low-light image enhancement. In addition, the proposed model can also be used for tone mapping of HDR images with some fine-tuning steps. Extensive experiments on three datasets (two LDR image datasets and one HDR scene dataset) show that the proposed model can handle the visual enhancement tasks mentioned above efficiently and outperform the related state-of-the-art methods.

High dynamic range image tone mapping technique based on the improved bitonic filter

High dynamic range image tone mapping technique based on the improved bitonic filter

High dynamic range image tone mapping based on asymmetric model of retinal adaptation

Global tone mapping operators using the symmetrical retinal response model to light tend to produce a low dynamic range (LDR) image that exhibits loss of details of its corresponding high dynamic range (HDR) image in a bright or dark area. In this paper, we introduce a new asymmetric sigmoid curve (ASC) based on the model of retinal adaptation encompassing symmetrical S-shaped curve, and present two global tone mapping operators by using the ASC. In the proposed method, an ASC-based tone mapping function is obtained by using a well-known classic photography technique, called zone system. In addition, a contrast-enhancing tone mapping function is introduced by formulating a bi-criteria optimization problem with the luminance histogram of an input HDR image and the ASC-based mapping function. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method enhances the global contrast while preserving image details in the tone-mapped LDR image. Moreover, the objective assessment results using an image quality metric indicate that the proposed method shows a high performance to state-of-the-art global tone mapping operators.

Learning Based Image Transformation Using Convolutional Neural Networks

We have developed a learning-based image transformation framework and successfully applied it to three common image transformation operations: downscaling, decolorization, and high dynamic range image tone mapping. We use a convolutional neural network (CNN) as a non-linear mapping function to transform an input image to a desired output. A separate CNN network trained for a very large image classification task is used as a feature extractor to construct the training loss function of the image transformation CNN. Unlike similar applications in the related literature such as image super-resolution, none of the problems addressed in this paper have a known ground truth or target. For each problem, we reason about a suitable learning objective function and develop an effective solution. This is the first work that uses deep learning to solve and unify these three common image processing tasks. We present experimental results to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new technique and its state-of-the-art performances.

A Tone Mapping Algorithm Based on Multi-scale Decomposition

A new Tone Mapping( TM) algorithm based on multi-scale decomposition was proposed to solve a High Dynamic Range( HDR) image displayed on an ordinary display device. The algorithm decomposed a HDR image into multiple scales using a Local Edge-Preserving( LEP) filter to smooth the details of the image effectively, while still retaining the salient edges. Then a dynamic range compression function with parameters was proposed according to the characteristics of the decomposed layers and the request of compression. By changing the parameters, the coarse scale layer was compressed and the fine scale layer was boosted, which resulted in compressing the dynamic range of the image and boosting the details. Finally, by restructuring the image and restoring the color, the image after mapping had a good visual quality. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is better than the algorithm proposed by Gu et al.( GU B, LI W J, ZHU M Y, et al. Local edge-preserving multiscale decomposition for high dynamic range image tone mapping [J]. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 2013, 22( 1) : 70- 79) and Yeganeh et al.( YEGANEH H, WANG Z. Objective quality assessment of tonemapped images [J]. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 2013, 22( 2) : 657- 667) in naturalness, structural fidelity and quality assessment; moreover, it avoids the halo artifacts which is a common problem existing in the local tone mapping algorithms. The algorithm can be used for the tone mapping of the HDR image.

Image smoothing with generalized random walks: Algorithm and applications

A novel generalized random walks model based algorithm for image smoothing is presented. Unlike previous image smoothing methods, the proposed method performs image smoothing in a global weighted way based on graph notation, which can preserve important features and edges as much as possible. Based on the new random walks model, input image information and user defined smoothing scale information are projected to a graph, our method calculates the probability that a random walker starting at each pixel node position will first reach one of the pre-defined terminal node to achieve image smoothing, which goes to solving a system of linear equations, the system can be solved efficiently by lots of methods. Theoretical analysis and experimental results are reported to illustrate the usefulness and potential applicability of our algorithm on various computer vision fields, including image enhancement, edge detection, image decomposition, high dynamic range (HDR) image tone mapping and other applications.

An Improved Method Based on Fast Bilateral Filter for High Dynamic Image Rendering

This paper presents an improved high dynamic range image tone mapping method based on fast bilateral filtering. The algorithm first applied a bilateral filtering to the luminance channel of the image, the image is decomposed into an HDR base layer and an LDR detail layer. Then the HDR base layer is blurred with bilateral filtering again, get the details portion of the base layer, at the same time the dynamic range of the global base layer is compressed. Finally, the detail component and the compressed HDR base layer are recombined and the result is tone-mapped image for displaying. For color image, the color restoration converts luminance value into RGB color. Experimental results show that the proposed technique performed better than the conventional bilateral filtering, preserving more details and enhancing local contrast, giving decent visual effect and avoiding additional artifacts.

Local Edge-Preserving Multiscale Decomposition for High Dynamic Range Image Tone Mapping

A novel filter is proposed for edge-preserving decomposition of an image. It is different from previous filters in its locally adaptive property. The filtered image contains local means everywhere and preserves local salient edges. Comparisons are made between our filtered result and the results of three other methods. A detailed analysis is also made on the behavior of the filter. A multiscale decomposition with this filter is proposed for manipulating a high dynamic range image, which has three detail layers and one base layer. The multiscale decomposition with the filter addresses three assumptions: 1) the base layer preserves local means everywhere; 2) every scale's salient edges are relatively large gradients in a local window; and 3) all of the nonzero gradient information belongs to the detail layer. An effective function is also proposed for compressing the detail layers. The reproduced image gives a good visualization. Experimental results on real images demonstrate that our algorithm is especially effective at preserving or enhancing local details.

Fast approximation of trilateral filter for tone mapping using a signal processing approach

In this paper, we present a novel fast approximation of the trilateral filter for high dynamic range (HDR) image tone mapping using a signal processing approach. Our fast trilateral filter-based tone-mapping algorithms are about 15–25 times faster than the existing one in Choudhury and Tumblin [The trilateral filter for high contrast images and meshes, in: Eurographics Symposium on Rendering ’03, 2003, pp. 186–196]. The novel tone-mapping algorithm for HDR images is presented based on the fast approximation of the gradient bilateral filter and the down-sampling strategy of computing the titling angle image. We show the comparison results with the fast approximation of the trilateral filter using full-kernel, truncated-kernel, piecewise-kernel, separable-kernel, respectively. The proposed approach is suitable for fast HDR image tone-mapping, and the experimental results show satisfactory performancce.

High dynamic range image tone mapping and retexturing using fast trilateral filtering

Using fast trilateral filtering we present a novel tone mapping and retexturing method for high dynamic range (HDR) images. Our new trilateral filtering-based tone mapping is about seven to ten times faster than that in [3]. Firstly, a novel tone mapping algorithm for HDR images is presented. It is based on fast bilateral filtering and two newly developed filters: the quasi-Cauchy function kernel filter and the fourth degree Taylor polynomial kernel filter. Secondly, a new gradient-based image retexturing method is introduced, which consists of three steps: 1) converting HDR images into low dynamic range (LDR) images using our fast trilateral filtering-based tone mapping method; 2) recovering the gradient luminance maps for the region to be retextured; 3) reconstructing the final retextured image by solving the Poisson equation. The proposed approach is suitable for HDR image tone mapping and retexturing, and experimental results have demonstrated the satisfactory performance of our method.