Color constancy under varying illumination

Illumination is rarely constant in intensity or color throughout a scene. Multiple light sources with different spectra - sun and sky, direct and interreflected light - are the norm. Nonetheless, almost all color constancy algorithms assume that the spectrum of the incident illumination remains constant across the scene. We assume the converse, that illumination does vary, in developing a new algorithm for color constancy. Rather than creating difficulties, varying illumination is in fact a very powerful constraint. Indeed tests of our algorithm using real images of an office scene show excellent results.