A picture composing apparatus designed to combine a plurality of images taken
by
a plurality of image pickup devices. In the apparatus, a first projecting unit
projects the plurality of images taken by the image pickup devices onto a projection
section in accordance with an image pickup situation of the image pickup devices
to generate a plurality of first projected images, and a second projecting unit
projects the plurality of first projected images to a three-dimensional projection
model to generate a second projected image. Also included in the apparatus are
a virtual image pickup device for virtually picking up the second projected image
and an image pickup situation determining unit for determining an image pickup
situation of the virtual image pickup device, whereby the second projected image
is picked up by the virtual image pickup device in the image pickup situation determined
by the pickup situation determining unit to combine the plurality of images taken
by the plurality of image pickup devices, thus producing a high-quality composite
picture. This apparatus can offer a natural composite picture in which joints among
the images taken by the image pickup devices do not stand out. In addition, when
mounted on a motor vehicle, this apparatus allows a driver to easily seize the
surrounding situations and the positional relationship of the motor vehicle with
respect to other objects.