Methods for Collecting and Processing Image Information to Produce Digital Assets

Paired images of substantially the same scene are captured with the same freestanding sensor. The paired images include reflected light illuminated with controlled polarization states that are different between the paired images. Information from the images is applied to a convolutional neural network (CNN) configured to derive a spatially varying bi-directional reflectance distribution function (SVBRDF) for objects in the paired images. Alternatively, the sensor is fixed and oriented to capture images of an object of interest in the scene while a light source traverses a path that intersects the sensor's field of view. Information from the paired images of the scene and from the images captured of the object of interest when the light source traverses the field of view are applied to a CNN to derive a SVBDRF for the object of interest. The image information and the SVBRDF are used to render a representation with artificial lighting conditions.