A system for facial recognition comprising at least one processor; at least one input operatively connected to the at least one processor; a database configured to store three-dimensional facial image data comprising facial feature coordinates in a predetermined common plane; the at least one processor configured to locate three-dimensional facial features in the image of the subject, estimate three-dimensional facial feature location coordinates in the image of the subject, obtain the three-dimensional facial feature location coordinates and orientation parameters in a coordinate system in which the facial features are located in the predetermined common plane; and compare the location of the facial feature coordinates of the subject to images of people in the database; whereby recognition, comparison and/or likeness of the facial images is determined by comparing the predetermined common plane facial feature coordinates of the subject to images in the database. A method is also disclosed.