1. A method for processing images by numerically computing a desired matrix O P based upon a plurality of pre-calculated matrices of the form O R , said desired matrix O P defined by base matrix O raised to a fractional power P, said base matrix O comprising an array of numerical values, and wherein each of said plurality of pre-calculated matrices is defined as said base matrix O raised to an associated fractional power R, wherein a value represented by said fractional power R is unique for each of said plurality of pre-calculated matrices, said method comprising: (a) representing a source image using data array U; (b) identifying a plurality of fractional powers, the sum of which is equal to said fractional power P; (c) identifying particular matrices of said plurality of pre-calculated matrices, wherein each identified matrix is defined by base matrix O raised to one of said plurality of fractional powers identified in operation (b); (d) computing said desired matrix O P by performing matrix multiplication of said particular matrices identified in operation (c); (e) generating a processed image by multiplying said data array U by array elements of said desired matrix O P ; wherein said identifying operation (c) comprises: retrieving said particular matrices from memory; and wherein said array of numerical values comprise coefficients of transformational operations.