Merge pull request #1423 from PyWoody/load_image_io

load_image now accepts file objects that support being read

deepface/DeepFace.py

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import os
 import warnings
 import logging
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Union, Optional
+from typing import Any, Dict, IO, List, Union, Optional
 
 # this has to be set before importing tensorflow
 os.environ["TF_USE_LEGACY_KERAS"] = "1"
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ def build_model(model_name: str, task: str = "facial_recognition") -> Any:
 
 
 def verify(
-    img1_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, List[float]],
-    img2_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, List[float]],
+    img1_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes], List[float]],
+    img2_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes], List[float]],
     model_name: str = "VGG-Face",
     detector_backend: str = "opencv",
     distance_metric: str = "cosine",
@@ -84,12 +84,14 @@ def verify(
     """
     Verify if an image pair represents the same person or different persons.
     Args:
-        img1_path (str or np.ndarray or List[float]): Path to the first image.
-            Accepts exact image path as a string, numpy array (BGR), base64 encoded images
+        img1_path (str or np.ndarray or IO[bytes] or List[float]): Path to the first image.
+            Accepts exact image path as a string, numpy array (BGR), a file object that supports
+            at least `.read` and is opened in binary mode, base64 encoded images
             or pre-calculated embeddings.
 
-        img2_path (str or np.ndarray or List[float]): Path to the second image.
-            Accepts exact image path as a string, numpy array (BGR), base64 encoded images
+        img2_path (str or np.ndarray or IO[bytes] or List[float]): Path to the second image.
+            Accepts exact image path as a string, numpy array (BGR), a file object that supports
+            at least `.read` and is opened in binary mode, base64 encoded images
             or pre-calculated embeddings.
 
         model_name (str): Model for face recognition. Options: VGG-Face, Facenet, Facenet512,
@@ -164,7 +166,7 @@ def verify(
 
 
 def analyze(
-    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray],
+    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes]],
     actions: Union[tuple, list] = ("emotion", "age", "gender", "race"),
     enforce_detection: bool = True,
     detector_backend: str = "opencv",
@@ -176,9 +178,10 @@ def analyze(
     """
     Analyze facial attributes such as age, gender, emotion, and race in the provided image.
     Args:
-        img_path (str or np.ndarray): The exact path to the image, a numpy array in BGR format,
-            or a base64 encoded image. If the source image contains multiple faces, the result will
-            include information for each detected face.
+        img_path (str or np.ndarray or IO[bytes]): The exact path to the image, a numpy array
+            in BGR format, a file object that supports at least `.read` and is opened in binary
+            mode, or a base64 encoded image. If the source image contains multiple faces,
+            the result will include information for each detected face.
 
         actions (tuple): Attributes to analyze. The default is ('age', 'gender', 'emotion', 'race').
             You can exclude some of these attributes from the analysis if needed.
@@ -263,7 +266,7 @@ def analyze(
 
 
 def find(
-    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray],
+    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes]],
     db_path: str,
     model_name: str = "VGG-Face",
     distance_metric: str = "cosine",
@@ -281,9 +284,10 @@ def find(
     """
     Identify individuals in a database
     Args:
-        img_path (str or np.ndarray): The exact path to the image, a numpy array in BGR format,
-            or a base64 encoded image. If the source image contains multiple faces, the result will
-            include information for each detected face.
+        img_path (str or np.ndarray or IO[bytes]): The exact path to the image, a numpy array
+            in BGR format, a file object that supports at least `.read` and is opened in binary
+            mode, or a base64 encoded image. If the source image contains multiple
+            faces, the result will include information for each detected face.
 
         db_path (string): Path to the folder containing image files. All detected faces
             in the database will be considered in the decision-making process.
@@ -369,7 +373,7 @@ def find(
 
 
 def represent(
-    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray],
+    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes]],
     model_name: str = "VGG-Face",
     enforce_detection: bool = True,
     detector_backend: str = "opencv",
@@ -383,9 +387,10 @@ def represent(
     Represent facial images as multi-dimensional vector embeddings.
 
     Args:
-        img_path (str or np.ndarray): The exact path to the image, a numpy array in BGR format,
-            or a base64 encoded image. If the source image contains multiple faces, the result will
-            include information for each detected face.
+        img_path (str or np.ndarray or IO[bytes]): The exact path to the image, a numpy array
+            in BGR format, a file object that supports at least `.read` and is opened in binary
+            mode, or a base64 encoded image. If the source image contains multiple faces,
+            the result will include information for each detected face.
 
         model_name (str): Model for face recognition. Options: VGG-Face, Facenet, Facenet512,
             OpenFace, DeepFace, DeepID, Dlib, ArcFace, SFace and GhostFaceNet
@@ -505,7 +510,7 @@ def stream(
 
 
 def extract_faces(
-    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray],
+    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes]],
     detector_backend: str = "opencv",
     enforce_detection: bool = True,
     align: bool = True,
@@ -519,8 +524,9 @@ def extract_faces(
     Extract faces from a given image
 
     Args:
-        img_path (str or np.ndarray): Path to the first image. Accepts exact image path
-            as a string, numpy array (BGR), or base64 encoded images.
+        img_path (str or np.ndarray or IO[bytes]): Path to the first image. Accepts exact image path
+            as a string, numpy array (BGR), a file object that supports at least `.read` and is
+            opened in binary mode, or base64 encoded images.
 
         detector_backend (string): face detector backend. Options: 'opencv', 'retinaface',
             'mtcnn', 'ssd', 'dlib', 'mediapipe', 'yolov8', 'yolov11n', 'yolov11s', 'yolov11m',

deepface/commons/image_utils.py

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # built-in dependencies
 import os
 import io
-from typing import Generator, List, Union, Tuple
+from typing import Generator, IO, List, Union, Tuple
 import hashlib
 import base64
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -77,11 +77,11 @@ def find_image_hash(file_path: str) -> str:
     return hasher.hexdigest()
 
 
-def load_image(img: Union[str, np.ndarray]) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
+def load_image(img: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes]]) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
     """
-    Load image from path, url, base64 or numpy array.
+    Load image from path, url, file object, base64 or numpy array.
     Args:
-        img: a path, url, base64 or numpy array.
+        img: a path, url, file object, base64 or numpy array.
     Returns:
         image (numpy array): the loaded image in BGR format
         image name (str): image name itself
@@ -91,6 +91,14 @@ def load_image(img: Union[str, np.ndarray]) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
     if isinstance(img, np.ndarray):
         return img, "numpy array"
 
+    # The image is an object that supports `.read`
+    if hasattr(img, 'read') and callable(img.read):
+        if isinstance(img, io.StringIO):
+            raise ValueError(
+                'img requires bytes and cannot be an io.StringIO object.'
+            )
+        return load_image_from_io_object(img), 'io object'
+
     if isinstance(img, Path):
         img = str(img)
 
@@ -120,6 +128,32 @@ def load_image(img: Union[str, np.ndarray]) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, str]:
     return img_obj_bgr, img
 
 
+def load_image_from_io_object(obj: IO[bytes]) -> np.ndarray:
+    """
+    Load image from an object that supports being read
+    Args:
+        obj: a file like object.
+    Returns:
+        img (np.ndarray): The decoded image as a numpy array (OpenCV format).
+    """
+    try:
+        _ = obj.seek(0)
+    except (AttributeError, TypeError, io.UnsupportedOperation):
+        seekable = False
+        obj = io.BytesIO(obj.read())
+    else:
+        seekable = True
+    try:
+        nparr = np.frombuffer(obj.read(), np.uint8)
+        img = cv2.imdecode(nparr, cv2.IMREAD_COLOR)
+        if img is None:
+            raise ValueError("Failed to decode image")
+        return img
+    finally:
+        if not seekable:
+            obj.close()
+
+
 def load_image_from_base64(uri: str) -> np.ndarray:
     """
     Load image from base64 string.

deepface/modules/detection.py

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # built-in dependencies
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Tuple, Union, Optional
+from typing import Any, Dict, IO, List, Tuple, Union, Optional
 
 # 3rd part dependencies
 from heapq import nlargest
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 
 def extract_faces(
-    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray],
+    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, IO[bytes]],
     detector_backend: str = "opencv",
     enforce_detection: bool = True,
     align: bool = True,
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ def extract_faces(
     Extract faces from a given image
 
     Args:
-        img_path (str or np.ndarray): Path to the first image. Accepts exact image path
-            as a string, numpy array (BGR), or base64 encoded images.
+        img_path (str or np.ndarray or IO[bytes]): Path to the first image. Accepts exact image path
+            as a string, numpy array (BGR), a file object that supports at least `.read` and is
+            opened in binary mode, or base64 encoded images.
 
         detector_backend (string): face detector backend. Options: 'opencv', 'retinaface',
             'mtcnn', 'ssd', 'dlib', 'mediapipe', 'yolov8', 'yolov11n', 'yolov11s', 'yolov11m',

tests/test_represent.py

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # built-in dependencies
+import io
 import cv2
+import pytest
 
 # project dependencies
 from deepface import DeepFace
@@ -18,6 +20,25 @@ def test_standard_represent():
     logger.info("✅ test standard represent function done")
 
 
+def test_standard_represent_with_io_object():
+    img_path = "dataset/img1.jpg"
+    default_embedding_objs = DeepFace.represent(img_path)
+    io_embedding_objs = DeepFace.represent(open(img_path, 'rb'))
+    assert default_embedding_objs == io_embedding_objs
+
+    # Confirm non-seekable io objects are handled properly
+    io_obj = io.BytesIO(open(img_path, 'rb').read())
+    io_obj.seek = None
+    no_seek_io_embedding_objs = DeepFace.represent(io_obj)
+    assert default_embedding_objs == no_seek_io_embedding_objs
+
+    # Confirm non-image io objects raise exceptions
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='Failed to decode image'):
+        DeepFace.represent(io.BytesIO(open(r'../requirements.txt', 'rb').read()))
+
+    logger.info("✅ test standard represent with io object function done")
+
+
 def test_represent_for_skipped_detector_backend_with_image_path():
     face_img = "dataset/img5.jpg"
     img_objs = DeepFace.represent(img_path=face_img, detector_backend="skip")