1. An imaging system for generating an image of a sub-surface feature of an object through a surface of the object, the system comprising: an illumination array, the illumination array comprising a plurality of illumination sources positioned around the sub-surface feature of the object, wherein each of the illumination sources directs illumination in an imaging wavelength range towards the surface at an angle relative to the normal of the surface; an imaging device comprising an objective; a computer system in communication with the illumination array, the computer system comprising at least one processor and operatively associated memory, wherein the computer is programmed to: calculate an optimized illumination pattern of the plurality of illumination sources for imaging the sub-surface feature; activate the optimized illumination pattern; and instruct the imaging device to capture an image of the sub-surface feature with the imaging device based on reflected illumination from the optimized illumination pattern.