Reading image is first step to perform any operation on raw image in OpenCV and Computer Vision. Now we are going to learn How to read image in OpenCV using cv2.imread() function in detail.
Read Image using OpenCV Python
Syntax: cv2.imread(path, flag)
flag: default value is cv2.IMREAD_COLOR
Parameters:
cv2.IMREAD_COLOR or 1: reads the image with RGB colors
cv2.IMREAD_GRAYSCALE or 0: reads the image with gray colors
cv2.IMREAD_UNCHANGED or -1: It reads the image as is from the source. If the source image is an RGB, it loads the image into an array with Red, Green, and Blue channels. If the source image is ARGB, it loads the image with three color components along with the alpha or transparency channel.
CODE:
Read Image in RGB format
import cv2 #import opencv packages
path = "adult_blur_boardwalk.jpg"
img = cv2.imread(path, 1) #read image in RGB format
print(img.shape)#print shape of image
print(img) #print image array
cv2.imshow('image', img) #show image
cv2.waitKey(0) #wait to close image window
cv2.destroyAllWindows() #cloase all windows
Read Image in Grey Format
import cv2 #import opencv packages
path = "adult_blur_boardwalk.jpg"
img = cv2.imread(path, 0) #read image in grey format
print(img.shape)#print shape of image
print(img) #print image array
cv2.imshow('image', img) #show image
cv2.waitKey(0) #wait to close image window
cv2.destroyAllWindows() #cloase all windows
Read Image in Alpha or Transference Format
import cv2 #import opencv packages
path = "adult_blur_boardwalk.jpg"
img = cv2.imread(path, -1) #read image alpha or transparency format
print(img.shape)#print shape of image
print(img) #print image array
cv2.imshow('image', img) #show image
cv2.waitKey(0) #wait to close image window
cv2.destroyAllWindows() #cloase all windows
Read Image from Full Image Path
import cv2
path = r"""C:\Users\kashz\AI Life\AI Projects - IAIP, PTs (Web + Channel)\02 OpenCV\000 opencv tutorial\data\images\girl-eye.jpg"""
img = cv2.imread(path, 1) #read image from full image path
print(img.shape)
print(img)
cv2.imshow('image', img)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()