1. A digital image processing method for locating faces in a digital color image, comprising the steps of: a) generating a mean grid pattern element (MGPe) image from a plurality of sample face images; b) generating an integral image from the digital color image; and c) locating faces in the color digital image by using the integral image to perform a correlation test between the mean grid pattern element (MGPe) image and the digital color image at a plurality of effective resolutions by reducing the digital color image to a grid pattern element images (GPes) at different effective resolutions and correlating the MGPe with the GPes.