A digital imaging system provides color information of an entire port wine stain or other skin condition with a single image in CIE L*a*b* color space (L*, a*) derived from RGB pixel data (R, G, B). Cross-polarization optics produce marked reduction in specularly reflected light in the images. A patient positioning device allows for repeatable positioning of the patient's head or body portion. The digital nature of the system provides a near real-time mapping of melanin and erythema or other skin chromophore metrics. The cross-polarized diffuse reflectance color digital imaging system obtains subsurface skin color information and acquisition of facial images in a reproducible fashion at a fixed distance from an illumination source at optimized angles of view depending on the region of interest being imaged.