1. A processor-based image acquisition and processing system comprising: an image acquisition component comprising a lens and image sensor for acquiring a digital image, and a processing component including a processor and a memory having processor-readable code embedded therein for programming the processor to perform a method of classifying and archiving images including face regions that are acquired with an image acquisition component, wherein the method comprises: identifying a group of pixels corresponding to a face region within digital image data acquired by the acquisition device; extracting a set of face analysis parameter values from said face region, said set of face analysis parameter values comprising a faceprint associated with said face region that comprises a vector defined by a set of values for a set of face classifier parameters mapped into a faceprint space within one or more existing face classes or within a new face class defined as including one or more faceprints that are defined by vectors defined by a set of values that fall within a certain geometric distance of the vector defining a faceprint data range; determining a first reference faceprint for a person using a reference image captured in predetermined face-portrait conditions; determining a second reference faceprint for a person using a reference image captured using ambient conditions; analyzing said first and second reference faceprints to determine a baseline faceprint and a range of variability from said baseline associated with said person; and storing results of said analyzing and using said results in the subsequent recognition of said person in a subsequent image acquired under ambient conditions.