We are used to think twice before we believe in any photographical evidence thanks to Photoshop. Now imagine the following software: You can take any photograph of a human face, then press ‘morphModelize’ and a editable 3d computer face is modelled and applied to that specific image. Now you can change the facial expression or the skin color, you can rotate the face, change the lighting, change the sex of the portrayed – you can do anything you want to do with this face! This software exists.
Volker Blanz and Thomas Vetter have build a large morphable face model out of hundred colored 3d scans. This model still stores all the color information and every individual feature of every scanned individual. You don’t believe it? Here are some examples:
First we ask Forrest Gump for collaboration: The first image shows the original, two and three the morphable face model applied to that image and four: he frowns!
Another example: 1.Audrey Hepburn, 2. Morphmodelized, 3. We can make her smile, or 4. make her wear a hat!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: 1. Original, 2 to 4: The sad repercussions of drugs…
You got nice wedding photos from your first wedding, but not one single real good shot from you and your second wife? No problem: Just change the individuals in your photos!
Can this be applied to video, too? Why certainly! Watch this videos: The Morphable Model explained, Animation of famous paintings! Visit Dr. Blanz homepage and read all about this fascinating technology.
These examples are far from being perfect, I know, but keep in mind that most of this material is seven years old!
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