Methods for processing an image comprising assigning values to a plurality of pixels of an image, placing the values of the plurality of pixels in an array, determining a method to reference the array values with indices, determining a method to rank or sort the values, sorting the array of values and storing the indices that would sort the array, sorting the array of indices and storing the indices that would sort the array in an array of values, recursively applying these methods, changing methods configurations and/or reusing them during processing, and altering an array based on a sorted array's values and/or indices are disclosed.