Image processing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium

1. An image processing apparatus comprising at least one processor and/or circuit configured to function as following units:

an identification unit configured to identify a target color that a pixel of a shot image corresponding to an object having a specific color is to have as a result of white balance processing performed on the shot image;

a determination unit configured to determine a target region of a virtual light source in the shot image;

an image processing unit configured to perform image processing for adding an effect of virtual light irradiation by the virtual light source to the target region; and

a control unit configured to control a color of the virtual light source such that a color close to the target color approaches the target color in the target region.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the target region such that a shadow region in a region of a predetermined object included in the shot image is irradiated.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the identification unit is configured to determine the specific color based on a type of the predetermined object.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the color of the virtual light source such that the color close to the target color approaches the target color in the target region, based on (i) a difference between an average color of a region, in the target region, having the color close to the target color and the target color and (ii) an intensity of the virtual light source.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the identification unit is configured to identify a first target color that a pixel of the shot image corresponding to an object having a first specific color is to have as a result of white balance processing performed on the shot image, and a second target color that a pixel of the shot image corresponding to an object having a second specific color is to have as a result of white balance processing performed on the shot image, and

the control unit is configured to, in a case where a region whose color is close to the first target color in the target region is larger than a threshold value, control the color of the virtual light source such that the color close to the first target color approaches the first target color in the target region, and, in a case where the region whose color is close to the first target color in the target region is smaller than the threshold value, control the color of the virtual light source such that a color close to the second target color approaches the second target color in the target region.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the target region such that a shadow region in a region of a predetermined object included in the shot image is irradiated,

the first specific color is white, and

the identification unit is configured to determine the second specific color based on a type of the predetermined object.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the identification unit identifies white or skin color as the target color.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the case where the object having the specific color is a face, the identification unit identifies skin color as the target color.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the identification unit identifies white and skin color as the target color, the white being used preferentially.

10. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

the image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

at least one processor and/or circuit configured to function as following units:

an image capturing unit configured to generate the shot image; and

a white balance unit configured to perform white balance processing on the shot image generated by the image capturing unit.

11. An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus, comprising:

identifying a target color that a pixel of a shot image corresponding to an object having a specific color is to have as a result of white balance processing performed on the shot image;

determining a target region of a virtual light source in the shot image;

performing image processing for adding an effect of virtual light irradiation by the virtual light source to the target region; and

controlling a color of the virtual light source such that a color close to the target color approaches the target color in the target region.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to execute an image processing method comprising:

identifying a target color that a pixel of a shot image corresponding to an object having a specific color is to have as a result of white balance processing performed on the shot image;

determining a target region of a virtual light source in the shot image;

performing image processing for adding an effect of virtual light irradiation by the virtual light source to the target region; and

controlling a color of the virtual light source such that a color close to the target color approaches the target color in the target region.