1. An automated, computerized method for processing an image, comprising the steps of: providing an image file depicting an image, in a computer memory; determining multi-band intrinsic component information as a function of spatio-spectral information for intrinsic material and illumination for surfaces depicted in the image, expressed in a spatial extent of spectral characteristics; and calculating analytical information as a function of indicia of scene color characteristics expressed by the multi-band intrinsic component information.