Image retrieval based on color features: an evaluation study

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental evaluation of different image content representations, all of which are based on the use of color histograms to support indexing and searching schemes. We investigate the use of different color resolutions, restriction to dominant colors, and matching based on both global and local histograms. We also examine how suitable numerical index keys may be designed to support retrieval, and we assess the use of Self-Organizing Maps to guide structuring a database of images. All of our results are based on experimental studies, and our conclusions should lead to useful guidelines for developing image indexing and retrieval systems based on visual content.