A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus that includes a processor coupled with a memory where the processor is operable to obtain a first speckled pattern of a first defocused image of a neighborhood of a location on an object, to obtain a second speckled pattern of a second defocused image of the neighborhood, to determine a shift between the first and second speckle patterns, and to calculate slope information of a surface profile at the location based on the determined shift. Other embodiments are disclosed.