Realistic Image Rendition Using a Variable Exponent Functional Model for Retinex

The goal of realistic image rendition is to recover the acquired image under imperfect illuminant conditions, where non–uniform illumination may degrade image quality with high contrast and low SNR. In this paper, the assumption regarding illumination is modified and a variable exponent functional model for Retinex is proposed to remove non–uniform illumination and reduce halo artifacts. The theoretical derivation is provided and experimental results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.