An apparatus and method to generate intrinsic images without barrier filters and dichroic mirrors is provided. The method involves acquisition of an image of a focused field of view and a diffused image of the same field of view. The diffused image is obtained by placing a translucent material in the path between a camera and the field of view. The translucent material permits transmission of the illumination energy while diffusing the spatial details of the field of view, thus producing a featureless image of illumination intensities. The focused and diffused images are then processed pixel-by-pixel by to generate intrinsic images free of irrelevant illumination.