A method and apparatus for generating an image of a seal impression. N still images of a face of a seal are combined. N is at least 2. The N still images of the face correspond respectively to N beams of light that had previously irradiated the face in succession from N respective different directions respectively corresponding to N different angles of incidence of the light on the face. The combining of the N images include generating in the composite image a common area of pixels that commonly appears on the face of the seal in all still images of the N still images. The common area includes a character area pertaining to where an engraved character is located on the face of the seal.