Systems and methods for producing portraits

Abstract

A system of producing digital portraits and associated methods are provided. One method includes capturing a plurality of images with a digital recording device and displaying the images in the predetermined groups, such as in groups of two or three images. The customer selects desired images, which can be digitally modified in a variety of ways, and the selected images are electronically transmitted to a digital printer. The digital printer is maintained by an unrelated and distinct third-party host.

1 . A method for producing digital portraits from a captured digital video stream, the method comprising:
 accessing a digital video stream of a subject posed in a plurality of poses, the digital video stream recorded by a digital video recorder;   extracting one or more digital images from the digital video stream;   grouping the one or more extracted digital images into groups, each group comprising two or more digital images having similar poses;   causing the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on a display;   selecting at least one of one or more displayed digital images; and   transmitting the at least one selected digital image to a digital printer.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 accessing the digital video stream comprises accessing a digital video stream recorded by the digital video recorder in a professional portrait studio; and   selecting the at least one of the one or more displayed digital images comprises selecting the at least one of the one or more displayed digital images for purchase; and further comprising:   associating the one or more extracted digital images with a customer of the professional portrait studio.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the accessed digital video stream comprises video of the subject posed with chroma key technology; and further comprising:
 combining a background with an extracted image to produce a new digital image having the subject posed in front of the background.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the accessed digital video stream comprises video of the subject posed in front of a plurality of backgrounds, the plurality of backgrounds automatically changed in synchronization with a lighting system programmed to provide various lighting settings and effects during the recording of the digital video stream. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating the extracted digital images together as a set; and wherein:
 grouping the one or more extracted digital images into groups comprises grouping the digital images into subsets associated with the set, each subset comprising two or more digital images having one or more of similar poses or similar backgrounds;   causing the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on a display comprises causing the digital images of the set to be displayed on the display and causing the images of at least one of the subsets to be displayed; and   selecting at least one of the one or more displayed digital images comprises selecting at least one of the displayed digital images from at least one of the subsets.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein associating the extracted images together as a set comprises associating a plurality of extracted images using a plurality of backgrounds and a plurality of poses together as a set. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein associating the extracted images together as a set comprises associating at least 36 extracted images using at least four backgrounds and 12 poses together as a set. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting the accessed digital video stream to enable selection of one or more digital video frames from a full range of motion and poses of the subject captured by the stream for extraction; and   selecting one or more digital video frames from the presented digital video stream; and wherein   extracting one or more digital images from the digital video stream comprises extracting the selected one or more digital video frames.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing at least one special effects setting to be displayed on the display after causing the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on the display;   selecting at least one of the displayed one or more digital images for the at least one special effects setting so that the at least one special effects setting is applied to the selected at least one digital image; and   saving the at least one selected digital image with the at least one special effects setting applied thereto.   
   
   
       10 . An apparatus for producing digital portraits from a captured digital video stream, the apparatus comprising a processor configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
 access a digital video stream of a subject posed in a plurality of poses, the digital video stream recorded by a digital video recorder;   extract one or more digital images from the digital video stream;   group the one or more extracted digital images into groups, each group comprising two or more digital images having similar poses;   cause the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on a display;   select at least one of one or more displayed digital images; and   transmit the at least one selected digital image to a digital printer.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to:
 access the digital video stream by accessing a digital video stream recorded by the digital video recorder in a professional portrait studio; and   select the at least one of the one or more displayed digital images by selecting the at least one of the one or more displayed digital images for purchase; and wherein the processor is configured to further cause the apparatus to:   associate the one or more extracted digital images with a customer of the professional portrait studio.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the accessed digital video stream comprises video of the subject posed with chroma key technology; and wherein the processor is configured to further cause the apparatus to:
 combine a background with an extracted image to produce a new digital image having the subject posed in front of the background.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the accessed digital video stream comprises video of the subject posed in front of a plurality of backgrounds, the plurality of backgrounds automatically changed in synchronization with a lighting system programmed to provide various lighting settings and effects during the recording of the digital video stream. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to further cause the apparatus to associate the extracted digital images together as a set; and wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to:
 group the one or more extracted digital images into groups by grouping the digital images into subsets associated with the set, each subset comprising two or more digital images having one or more of similar poses or similar backgrounds;   cause the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on a display by causing the digital images of the set to be displayed on the display and by causing the images of at least one of the subsets to be displayed; and   select at least one of the one or more displayed digital images by selecting at least one of the displayed digital images from at least one of the subsets.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to associate the extracted images together as a set by associating a plurality of extracted images using a plurality of backgrounds and a plurality of poses together as a set. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to further cause the apparatus to:
 present the accessed digital video stream to enable selection of one or more digital video frames from a full range of motion and poses of the subject captured by the stream for extraction; and   select one or more digital video frames from the presented digital video stream; and wherein the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to:   extract one or more digital images from the digital video stream by extracting the selected one or more digital video frames.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to further cause the apparatus to:
 cause at least one special effects setting to be displayed on the display after causing the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on the display;   select at least one of the displayed one or more digital images for the at least one special effects setting so that the at least one special effects setting is applied to the selected at least one digital image; and   save the at least one selected digital image with the at least one special effects setting applied thereto.   
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one memory storing program code that when executed by the processor causes the apparatus to:
 access the digital video stream of the subject posed in a plurality of poses, the digital video stream recorded by a digital video recorder;   extract one or more digital images from the digital video stream;   cause the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on the display;   select at least one of one or more displayed digital images; and   transmit the at least one selected digital image to the digital printer.   
   
   
       19 . A computer program product for producing digital portraits from a captured digital video stream, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored thereon, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
 a program code portion configured for accessing a digital video stream of a subject posed in a plurality of poses, the digital video stream recorded by a digital video recorder;   a program code portion configured for extracting one or more digital images from the digital video stream;   a program code portion configured for grouping the one or more extracted digital images into groups, each group comprising two or more digital images having similar poses;   a program code portion configured for causing the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on a display;   a program code portion configured for selecting at least one of one or more displayed digital images; and   a program code portion configured for transmitting the at least one selected digital image to a digital printer.   
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the program code portion configured for accessing the digital video stream comprises instructions configured for accessing a digital video stream recorded by the digital video recorder in a professional portrait studio; and   the program code portion configured for selecting the at least one of the one or more displayed digital images comprises instructions configured for selecting the at least one of the one or more displayed digital images for purchase; and further comprising:   a program code portion configured for associating the one or more extracted digital images with a customer of the professional portrait studio.   
   
   
       21 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the accessed digital video stream comprises video of the subject posed with chroma key technology; and further comprising:
 a program code portion configured for combining a background with an extracted image to produce a new digital image having the subject posed in front of the background.   
   
   
       22 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the accessed digital video stream comprises video of the subject posed in front of a plurality of backgrounds, the plurality of backgrounds automatically changed in synchronization with a lighting system programmed to provide various lighting settings and effects during the recording of the digital video stream. 
   
   
       23 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , further comprising a program code portion configured for associating the extracted digital images together as a set; and wherein:
 the program code portion configured for grouping the one or more extracted digital images into groups comprises instructions configured for grouping the digital images into subsets associated with the set, each subset comprising two or more digital images having one or more of similar poses or similar backgrounds;   the program code portion configured for causing the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on a display comprises instructions configured for causing the digital images of the set to be displayed on the display and instructions configured for causing the images of at least one of the subsets to be displayed; and   the program code portion configured for selecting at least one of the one or more displayed digital images comprises instructions configured for selecting at least one of the displayed digital images from at least one of the subsets.   
   
   
       24 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a program code portion configured for causing at least one special effects setting to be displayed on the display after causing the one or more extracted digital images to be displayed on the display;   a program code portion configured for selecting at least one of the displayed one or more digital images for the at least one special effects setting so that the at least one special effects setting is applied to the selected at least one digital image; and   a program code portion configured for saving the at least one selected digital image with the at least one special effects setting applied thereto.