1. A method of processing an image of a visual scene, comprising: a. acquiring at least one image of a visual scene, wherein said at least one image comprises a plurality of pixels, and said plurality of pixels are arranged in a first array of pixels comprising a first plurality of rows and a second plurality of columns; b. acquiring or determining a range map comprising at least one distance value associated with at least one pixel of said plurality of pixels, wherein said at least one distance value comprises a measure of distance relative to an associated at least one camera used to acquire said at least one image; and c. processing said at least one pixel of at least one of said at least one image or said range map with a connected-components sieve filter, wherein said connected-components sieve filter is adapted to locate at least one cluster of pixels or elements within said at least one of said at least one image or said range map such that said at least one cluster of pixels or elements contains one or more said pixels or elements that are connected to at least one other pixel or element of said pixels or elements either along a same one of said first plurality of rows of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map, a same one of said second plurality of columns of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map, or diagonally adjacent along both said first plurality of rows of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map and said second plurality of columns of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map; and d. comparing a count of pixels or elements contained within at least one said cluster of pixels or elements with a threshold, and if said count of pixels or elements contained within said at least one said cluster of pixels or elements is less than said threshold, then nulling or ignoring said pixels or elements within said at least one said cluster of pixels or elements.